


Something That Wasn't There Before

by belle_ny



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Rumbelle Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-12
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-11 14:44:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/799889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belle_ny/pseuds/belle_ny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Non-magical AU. Mr. Gold is a divorced single parent of 17 year old son. The boy is good at sports and computers, but about to fail other subjects including Literature. His classmate and friend Belle is there to help and tutor him after school. It makes Gold happy because he knows that this could be the start of the first romantic relationship in his son’s life. What he doesn’t know is that his son has a crush on Belle’s friend Emma, who recently moved to town with her parents, and Belle… Belle has her eyes set on the pawnbroker himself!<br/>Rumbelle with a side of Swan Thief.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pamela Wand is the Blue Fairy character's name. None of her OUaT names suited the story, so I had to come up with something new.

**I**

It was a quiet evening in the quiet town of Storybrooke and sun was just beginning to set. But Robert Gold was far from appreciating the peaceful surroundings. His knuckles turned white from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel as he drove to his son’s school. The power-hungry witch, otherwise known as Mayor Cora Mills, was interfering with his business and dealings in town at every opportunity she could find ever since he ended their dysfunctional relationship years ago. The whole thing was one big stupid mistake that Gold regretted till this very day. He was freshly divorced and just wanted to forget the pain and humiliation Milah put him trough, and Cora all but threw herself at him. She wasn’t yet Mayor back then, and it took Gold too long to realize she wanted him for his influence and connections in town. By the time he saw how rotten and evil that woman was inside she already had enough resources to get the chair and the power she craved. All he could do was to end their affair there and then telling Cora exactly who she was. Apparently, it hit a little too close to home. Now her daughter Regina - the new Principal of his son’s school, a smart and beautiful thirty-something woman, who still painfully depended on her mommy’s approval and willingly became her puppet - tried to drag his son into their cold war. Whatever reason Regina made up for his visit she refused to discuss on the phone, which was why Gold had to close his shop early and go to her office personally.

“Things would be so much easier if he owned the school building like he did half of Storybrooke property.” - Gold thought regretfully as he entered deserted reception area. That didn’t help with his mood and Gold let out an irritated sigh when he heard a soft female voice from behind of him:

“Um…Excuse me, do you need help?”

He turned around and saw a tiny blue-eyed brunette chewing on her lover lip. The girl, most likely a senior student, was sitting in a chair at the opposite wall, which was why Gold didn’t notice her when he all but barged into the room.

“Hi.” She said with a shy smile when he met her eyes.

“Hello, I’m looking for Principal Mills.”

“She is in her office with…” 

Gold didn’t give her a chance to finish as he started toward the door the girl pointed at.

“You can’t come in.” She called after him slightly raising her voice, which made Gold glare at her. “She is with a student. They should be done soon.” She explained apologetically.

“Miss, I don’t care if she is with a student or if they’re done! Your Principal all but demanded my presence here and I’m not about to…”

At this moment the door opened and he saw another girl coming out and Regina behind her. The girl had long blond hair tied up in a horsetail. She was dressed as if she was about to hop up on a bike – heavy black leather boots, jeans, white t-shirt and a red leather jacket.

“Emma, I hope we understand each other, and won’t have to come back to this conversation again.” Regina said holding the door to let her out.

“Yes, Ms. Mills.” Girl looked like she wanted to punch Regina in the face, but instead she headed to the brunette, who apparently was there waiting for her friend, and in a moment, mumbling their goodbyes, they both were gone.

“Mr. Gold, I’m very glad you could make it.” Regina said with the smile of a shark looking at someone she’d like to sink her teeth in, as she gestured for Gold to enter the office.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Ms. Mills.” He said heading for the chair in front of her desk.

The conversation promised to be long and anything but pleasant.

**II**

“Can you believe that? Some girl gets in my face, and I am the one being called to the Principal!?” Emma raged while she and Belle were driving home from school. “What the hell is her problem, anyway? I don’t even know her name!”

“You mean the girl you punched?” Belle said with a smirk.

“Yeah, the cheerleader bitch that ruined my day.”

“Her name is Tamara and it’s not like her, usually she’s pretty nice. I don’t know what’s gotten into her. I’ll ask Neal. Maybe he knows what’s going on.”

“Neal? What he has to do with any of this?” Emma asked trying and failing to hide her interest.

“He and Tamara sort of hung out for a while.” Belle said studying Emma’s expression.

“Were they like dating?” Emma asked with disappointment on her face.

“I don’t really know. I mean, I saw them together a few times - leaving school or drinking coffee and stuff like that, but Neal and I never talked about it. As far as I know he’s not dating Tamara or anyone now.” Belle said arching an eyebrow.

“Why should I care if Neal’s dating or not?” Emma asked sounding a bit too defensive.

“No reason.” Belle said innocently fluttering her eyelashes. 

“Anyway, if that Tamara chick thinks she has a problem with me, I’ll give her a problem!”

“And I thought you and the Principal ' _understand each other'_ ” Belle said mocking Regina and earned a glare from her friend.

Emma went on about how Regina got on her nerves in those 15 minutes she spent at Principal’s office, and Belle’s mind wandered back to the person she met while waiting for her friend. Belle couldn’t explain her fascination with the man she didn’t really know. But ever since she was little and visited his shop for the first time with her mother, who was looking for a birthday present for a friend, he captured her attention and intrigued her. At first, it wasn’t him as much as all the trinkets he had in his shop. Belle’s mother found she had a soft spot for antiques and became a frequent client at Gold’s shop taking her little daughter along. Belle loved reading fantasy and adventure stories and had a vivid imagination, so to her each one of those objects belong to some kind of a fairy tale and once had magical properties. But no one believed in magic in this world and eventually it was gone. Belle even went as far as imagining the pawnbroker to be a sorcerer or a kind magician like Merlin, who lived in a castle and princes and princesses would come to him seeking help or advise. As time passed and she was growing up, Belle came to like his perfectly tailored suits and the way he talked, his wits and sense of humor, even though some people found his jokes offensive. And no words could describe what his smirk did to her insides. Belle couldn’t pin point the exact moment she realized she was attracted to him. But now, whenever she saw Mr. Gold across the street, at a coffee shop or buying some supplies at a drug store her heart started racing, heat raised in her cheeks and she couldn’t stop staring at him feeling the urge or more like an itch to run her fingers through his hair and ghost the line of his jaw with kisses. He had a certain reputation in town and some people even called him a ' _monster'_ referring to his business style. Others implied he might have been involved into something criminal. Her own father paid rent to Mr. Gold every month, but whenever his name came up in the conversation, he would frown and change the subject. And yet Belle wasn’t afraid of him. If anything, all that only made her curious and eager to get to know more about Mr. Gold. What did scare Belle was the force with which she was drawn to him.

“Hello!!” Emma shouted making Belle jump in the passenger seat. “Where the hell are you flying?! I called your name like five times!”

“Um, sorry. I was…erm…just thinking about something.”

“About what?”

“Did you see the guy who was waiting with me when you came out of Regina’s office?”

“Yeah?”

“That was Mr. Gold, Neal’s father. And considering his mood and the very fact of his presence there, Neal is in for a very unpleasant conversation tonight.“

“What did he do that Regina wanted to see his father instead of him?”

“Nothing, as far as I know, but it might have something to do with his grades. And Neal told me that his father expects him to get into some very prestigious college, so Regina probably wanted to express her fake concern about Neal’s future and just rub it into Mr. Gold’s face.”

“And what does the Queen of Mean have against Neal’s father? Or she is just a bitch like that?”

“She is a complicated person. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it’s an unspoken truth that the two can’t stand each other. Probably it has something to do with the Mayor.”

“The Mayor? Now I’m officially lost.”

“Right, you don’t know. Regina is Mayor’s daughter. And if you think she is bad, Cora is the mother of all evil. She and Mr. Gold have this sort of rivalry for power – whatever little property he doesn’t own in this town, she does.”

“My God, people! For a small provincial town things are way too complicated here.” Emma chuckled.

“You have no idea!” Belle laughed. “By the way, speaking of families and complications, when are you going to tell me your ' _long story'_ , as you keep referring to it whenever it comes up in the conversation?”

“Oh, well, I guess sooner or later I’m gonna have to anyway. You wanna stop at Granny’s for a cup of coffee, so you would have something to choke on when you hear it?”

“Sure.”

Emma’s story really wasn’t something you would normally expect from your friend’s family history. It was more of a talk show/soap opera material with a lot of drama, betrayal in the family and young lovers torn apart. David and Mary Margaret Nolan, Emma’s both biological and adoptive parents, met when Mary Margaret was still in high school and David started college. It was a fairytale love at first sigh kind of thing, but unfortunately it was not the happy ending David’s father George Spencer planned for his son. George was a senior partner in one of the biggest law firms in Boston. Arthur Midas was a senior partner in a competing firm and George wanted David to marry his daughter Kathryn to create the basis for an alliance. David and Kathryn were friends, bonded over having fathers who tried to control their lives. They could talk for hours and really cared for each other, but love didn’t happen no matter how much time they spent together. And that was a lot considering that they even were in the same class in law school, which David suspected wasn’t an accident.

Regardless to how blind their fathers were, David knew that Kathryn wouldn’t be able to fall in love with another man while Frederick was still in the picture. They were high school sweethearts and planned to get married after they graduate from college, but fate had other plans. Frederic had an accident while skiing with his family that resulted in a coma. Kathryn visited him every chance she had, and every time she would come back devastated even more because there would be no changes in his condition. Apart from Kathryn’s marriage to David being good for business and her future financial stability, Midas didn’t want his only daughter he adored to spend her life at Frederick’s bed, waiting for a miracle that was unlikely to happen.

As for David, he didn’t really know what he wanted to do with his life, so he agreed to follow his father’s carrier path. Things changed when he met Mary Margaret. With her he could see the future, home and kids. David didn’t care how or where, he just wanted them to be together. He didn’t even blink when Spencer threatened to cut him off and disinherit David. He didn’t care about the law degree anyway. Mary Margaret loved kids and wanted to be a middle school teacher and David would be perfectly content coaching a football team at the same school, which with his skills wouldn’t be a problem. They both were so absorbed in love and planning their future together that they didn’t see dark clouds gathering on the horizon. 

Mary Margaret had her own family issues. Having lost her mother Eva as little girl and being adored by her father Leopold Blanchard, she was hated by her stepmother Pamela, who married Leopold for money and couldn’t wait to get rid of him and his daughter to get her hands on the money. Leopold had a company that produced apple juice, cider, apple purees and alike. Money Pamela would get after selling it would be enough for her to enjoy the careless lifestyle she always wanted.

They met at Leopold’s friend bachelor party that took place at the strip club where Pamela worked. Her stage name was the Blue Fairy, because of her costume and the custom of sprinkling the sparkling dust on each guy who put a hundred dollar bill in her panties. Mary Margaret never understood how her father could fall for a woman like Pamela Wand, not because of her job, but because she was just as fake as her plastic fairy wings. Like every predator, Pamela smelled a pray in Leopold who had conservative moral views, but still bought her story about stripping only to pay for the nurses school, when in reality she was whoring around looking for a rich husband. He paid for her courses and they started to spend a lot of time together. He was referring to her as his “closest friend”, and after awhile, Leopold announced their engagement.

Once she had the ring on her finger and the name Blanchard in her documents, Pamela started looking for a way to get rid of her new family. That’s when Spencer contacted her to discuss the possibility of joining their efforts for the mutual benefit.

The plan they came up with worked like a true fairy’s charm. Leopold had a weak heart, so no one was surprised when he died of a sudden heart attack. The surprises for every one who knew the family came later with the autopsy results. Pathologists found out that Leopold’s heart attack was caused by an abnormal dose of a heart medicine he wasn’t supposed to take in his condition. But the biggest shock was that Mary Margaret became the prime suspect in her father’s murder, while Pamela played the role of a widow inconsolable for her loss, waiting for the conviction to finally become Leopold’s only heir.

With Spencer's connections the verdict was no surprise and there was nothing Mary Margaret’s attorney, Mr. Geppetto could do about it, the main reason being his bank account that acquired few extra zeros overnight. The old man would’ve never done something like that, but his son August was dying of a rare autoimmune disease that confined him to bed and required an expensive treatment Gepetto otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.

David was in college when all this happened and when he came to visit Spencer told him that Mary Margaret was so devastated over the loss of her father that she left town wanting to leave the past and everyone in it behind. He even showed David a note from Mary Margaret proving his words, which was another major expense on George’s account since he had to hire one of the best forge specialists to fake the girl’s hand writing. Of course David went to Mary Margaret’s house, still hoping it was all a lie, but when Pamela confirmed the story he had no other choice than to accept the reality.

After that David lost any interest in what happens with his life and agreed to marry Kathryn, who was in a similar condition since doctors informed her that Frederick’s brain activity was decreasing and he was slipping further away.

The two graduated and got married just like their fathers wanted. They were rich, successful and anything, but happy.

10 years passed with each day being exactly like the one before until David’s new case chattered the usual order of things. One of his university friends was now the Principal at a high school. One of his teachers was involved in a dispute after a kid got traumatized in class. This case was much smaller than the ones David normally handled, but he agreed to help his old friend out. When he went to the school wanting to see the place of the accident himself David saw a ghost from his past that was very real and just as shocked. Mary Margaret wasn’t the teacher facing trial, but she had classes next door to the room where everything happened and wanted to assure the attorney that her friend didn’t do anything negligent.

After the initial shock, came anger and accusations, as each of them blamed the other one for leaving without a word and betraying their love. And then, with the truth, came tears and pain because of the lost time and being stabbed in the back by the closest people who were supposed to take care of them.

Geppetto couldn’t live with himself knowing that a young innocent girl went to jail and once August’s life was no longer in danger he turned himself in and confessed. Mary Margaret’s convection was vacated immediately, her record expunged with apologies from the state while Spencer, Pamela and Gepetto faced the trial.

David felt that they got the second chance to be together, but Mary Margaret was despondent pushing David away, even having learned that he still loved her. She couldn’t tell him the last dark secret of their past terrified that he would hate her. David, on the other hand, was determined to win his true love back. He told Kathryn everything and, contrary to what he expected, she was happy that at least one of them could be reunited with the person they loved.

Divorce was finalized in a record time and David devoted all his efforts to finding out what stopped Mary Margaret from getting back together with him. Eventually she couldn’t keep closing off any longer and confessed that while in prison she found out she was pregnant. Mary Margaret was young, lost and broken. She didn’t see herself fit for a mother and wanted their child to have its best chance, which couldn’t be with her. Especially since she was facing 25 to life at the time. She gave up their daughter for adoption, but not a day passed by that she didn’t regret it.

Mary Margaret expected to see hate and loathing on David’s face, but he took her in his arms and vowed not to stop until they find their little girl, even though the only thing they knew was the name Mary Margaret gave her before the girl was taken away. The name was Emma.

“Un-freaking-believable!” Belle breathed out staring at her friend.

“Told ya.” Emma smirked. “I was travelling back and forth between children’s homes and temporary families where I was just a meal ticket when they found me. I wasn’t exactly a present, so no one wanted to take me in permanently.” Emma let out a bitter little laugh. “And of course I didn’t want to have anything to do with the jerks who refused from me, but they told me what happened and eventually I realized that I was being a jerk to the people who lost and suffered enough already.” She finished with a sad smile on her face.

“So your biological parents had to adopt you?”

“Yep, it was faster than starting a process to get their parental rights back. They got married quickly because social services tend to be more favorable to married couples looking to adopt, and since David had a very handsome bank account after years of being a successful lawyer everything went smoothly. Once all papers were in order, they started thinking about leaving Boston and starting over somewhere new. Mary Margaret’s friend Ruby, who leaves here with her husband Peter, told her that there was a history teacher position open at the local school and luckily enough they needed a coach for the their football team as well, so the decision was made pretty fast.”

  “And how come that your grandfather’s name is Spencer and yours and you father’s is Nolan?”

“Oh, that.” Emma frowned. “Nolan is David’s mother maiden name. After what his father had done, David didn’t want to have anything in common with him, including his name.”

“And you still can’t call them mom and dad?”

“Well, everything is still pretty recent, so calling them that is gonna take a little more time.” Emma gave her a meaningful look and Belle nodded with understanding.

For a while girls sat in silence, Belle tried to process everything she heard and Emma got lost in her thoughts and memories that came back after telling the story and partly reliving it again.  

“Oh, I forgot one more thing!” Emma remembered suddenly. “David and Kathryn still keep in touch. She called the other day and told him that Frederick came out of his coma. He is getting better everyday now and they’re even thinking about setting the date sometimes soon.”

“The date?” Belle frowned.

“Of the wedding.” Emma grinned.

“Oh, my God!” Belle gasped. “Talk about the happy endings!”

“I know, my parents are very happy for them and gladly agreed to come to the wedding.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**III**

The next day at school Belle couldn’t wait for the lunch break to talk to Neal and find out if she was right about the reason Mr. Gold came to school. Last night, after Emma dropped her off at home, Belle couldn’t stop thinking about the story she heard. It was incredible, beautiful and tragic and impressed Belle a lot. It also got her thinking. Belle has been harboring her feelings for Gold for quite some time now. She always was a dreamer with her nose in a book and head in the clouds, but, nevertheless, she knew where to draw the line between fantasies and the real life. Mr. Gold was a grown up man and she was a teenager. Their age difference never bothered Belle, but she thought it might not be the case with Robert, not mentioning her father and Gold’s son and everyone around them. But Belle was older now and having learned about all crazy and somewhat unrealistic things that happened to Emma’s parents and David’s wife, how those people fought for their happiness she thought that maybe she also had a shot at making her own fairy tale a reality. The least Belle could do was try, otherwise she was going to live her whole life with regret not knowing what could have happened. 

Belle barely had any sleep at night, but she came up with the plan. First of all, she needed to get closer to Gold, needed a way in and that required Neal wanting to fix his grades.

“Hey, there.” Belle smiled at Neal when she finally located him at the cafeteria.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to make sure you were alive after I saw your father at the Principal’s office yesterday.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Neal frowned.

“So it was bad, huh?”

“You know what it’s about?”

“We have a few classes together, so yeah, I figured it had something to do with your grades taking a dive.”

“I’m gonna be the one taking a dive, an involuntarily one, if I don’t fix things fast.” Neal said with a meaningful look.

“You know, I’m pretty good with Literature. I’ve already read everything in the program, so I could help you prepare for tests and essays and staff like that, it’ll give you more time to work on other subjects.” Belle said nonchalantly.

“It’d be great, but don’t you have better things to do after school?”

“Well, you could make up for my time by helping me with Computer Science.” Belle smirked.

“Ah!” Now Neal realized where she was coming from. “No problemo, I could do those programs in my sleep.” Neal said with a smug expression on his face, pretending to fix an invisible tie.

“I just hope you won’t fall asleep while we’ll be studying.” Belle chuckled.

“I can’t promise anything if we’ll be studying Literature.” Neal said and earned a glare from Belle. He did that on purpose knowing how passionate she was about reading. “Sorry.” He raised his hands up. “Can we start tonight?”

“Perfect, but it’ll have to be at your house, because if we go to mine my dad is gonna be watching us like a hawk, thinking you’re using this tutoring thing as an excuse to get into my pants.” Belle rolled her eyes. She needed them to study at Neal’s house for the obvious reasons, but Moe being paranoid about any boy who as much as looked at Belle was also true.

“Sure, no problem.” Neal laughed. “It’ll even work for my benefit, because my dad will see me actually trying to fix the situation.”

* * *

When Gold opened his front door he heard an unfamiliar female voice that came from the living room talking about poetry of all things.

“Bae?” Pawnbroker called when he saw his son and a girl about the same age sitting on the floor by the coffee table covered with books and papers. The two were obviously too absorbed in the subject on their hands to notice him.

“Oh, hi dad.” Neal said, as both popped their heads up. “This is my classmate and a good friend Belle French. She is helping me with Literature. Belle, this is my father Mr. Gold.” 

“Hello, Mr. Gold.” Belle said with a soft smile and blushed a little.

“Nice to meet you, Belle. Thank you for helping my son out.” He said returning her smile.

“Well, he is also helping me with another subject, so it’s a win-win.” Belle said blushing further. She had to get a grip of herself if she was going to come here on a daily basis! But she just couldn’t help the butterflies going crazy in her stomach.

“French?” Gold asked as if he suddenly remembered something. “Are you Moe French’s daughter?”

“Yes, I am. I was a bit confused that you didn’t recognize me.” Belle said chewing on her lower lip.

“My apologies, Belle. I thought you looked familiar, but I decided it was because I saw you the other day at school. Now, it turns out I didn’t recognize you twice.” He laughed. “It’s just that… uh, you’re all grown up.” Gold said looking her over, as if he was surprised such a thing could happen and Belle all but beamed at him. “I mean, I still remember you with ponytails when you poked around my shop. Not mentioning that you were …blond.” Gold said narrowing his eyes.

“Oh, right! I dyed my hair a while ago. You know, just to try something new.” She explained touching her brown tresses.

“Well, then I feel a little less guilty for my mistake.” Gold said with a smile.

“Okay, if you two are done discussing common memories and hair colors, Belle and I still have a lot of material to cover.” Neal interrupted with an impatient sigh.

“Of course, wouldn’t want to keep you from fixing your grades.” Gold said giving Neal a knowing smirk. “Nice to see you again, Belle. And good luck with your studies.” He said before turning to leave the room.

“Thanks, Mr. Gold. Nice to see you too.”

“Did he call you Bae? I thought your name was Neal?” Belle asked with a puzzled look on her face when Gold left.

“It is. Baelfire is my middle name.”

“Baelfire? Wow, it’s beautiful and very unusual.”

“Yeah, “unusual” is why it’s my middle name, but my dad still likes it better. It’s an old family name, so he calls me Bae at home. And Neal was my mom’s idea.“

Belle bit her lower lip. She knew she wouldn’t have a better opportunity to ask the question that’s been hunting her, but she still didn’t dare.

“It’s okay, Belle. You can ask.” Neal said, as if he read her thoughts. “I’m pretty certain you heard about her, and I’m even more certain that it was far more dramatic than what really happened.”

“And what really happened?” Belle asked cautiously.

“Well, contrary to the popular belief, my dad didn’t keep her looked in the basement and didn’t bury her body in the backyard.” He said with a little laugh that was far from fun. “It’s a long story. Short version: apparently, my mother was bored spending time in beauty salons, shopping and meeting friends. That’s when a group of bikers calling themselves “The Pirates” was passing through Storybrooke. My mom and her friends were drinking at the Rabbit Hole when she met their “captain” Killian Johnes or Jansen, or whatever the hell his name was. And a week later she skipped town with him.”

“Just like that?!” Belle gasped. “Without even telling anyone?” She couldn’t believe it. Neal was wrong, the reality was more dramatic than any gossip she heard.

“Yep. Of course, my dad started to look for her, thinking she was kidnaped or something. He contacted the police, the feds, everyone really. That’s when he received a phone call from mommy dearest, demanding him to stop embarrassing her with this investigation and making her look like she was some run-away kid. She even complained that she was afraid to go grocery shopping because she thought she might see her face on a milk carton.”

Belle was staring at Neal with an open mouth unable to say a word causing him to snort.

“Wait, it gets better.” He said with bitter irony in his voice. “Dad told me she went to visit some friends in another state, and that there was some kind of an accident and my mom died. I was only 7 years old, so it wasn’t very difficult to make me buy the story. But even though I was little, I couldn’t help but notice how much he changed in the following years. He became a cynical, bitter, closed off shadow of my real dad. Years later I found the divorce papers by sheer accident. I called him a liar and demanded an explanation. He didn’t want to tell me trying to save me the pain, but I threw a huge tantrum and he just blurted it out. They finalized everything quietly about a year after she left. And it only took so long because she and her “pirate” boyfriend tried to sue as much money from dad as they could. Each time he tried to refuse her something she would threaten to start a custody battle, and he was too terrified of losing me to risk it. Finally, he gave her everything she asked for and never heard from her again.”

“And you didn’t have any contact with her ever since?”

“Naturally, I didn’t believe that my mother could do something like that. What kid would, right? Dad gave me her old cell phone number they used during the divorce process. I called and my mom still had it.  She told me…um, she was sorry she had to leave like that, but she was unhappy in marriage because she never loved my dad, and that I should be happy for her because now she was with her true love. I hung up and did my best to forget about her. The only good thing that came out of it was that it brought my dad and me closer again. It seemed to have lifted some weight off of him since he didn’t have to hide it from me any more.”

“Oh, my God, Neal. I…I don’t even know what to say. I’m so sorry. I feel so bad for asking.” Belle squeezed his hand not knowing what else to do or say.

“It’s okay, Belle. You know, there is something about you that makes it surprisingly easy to talk and open up.” Neal said with a sad smile. “Besides, as Dr. Hopper, who I visited for about two years after I found out about all that, used to say – talking and sharing you pain may not make it go away, but it will make it easier to deal with it.”

“In this case, I really hope it will.” She said giving Neal a soft smile.

“Uh, it’s kinda late already.” Neal said looking at the clock. “What do you say if we call it a night and meet a bit earlier next time?” He asked obviously affected by the painful memories.

“Of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Belle said cursing her curiosity.

“You didn’t, my mother did. Besides, it’s really late and we have too much work, so we better start fresh next time.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow then.” Belle agreed and stood up to leave. “And say goodnight to your father from me.”

“I will.”

 

When Belle left Neal started cleaning books and notes from the coffee table and felt his father’s stare on the back of his head.

“Pretty girl. You like her?” Gold asked nonchalantly leaning at the wall. 

“There we go.” Neal thought with a sigh. He was naïve hoping that ignoring his father would help to avoid this conversation. Was going to bed in peace really too much to ask?

“No, dad. Belle is a friend.” 

“I don’t remember you bringing female friends over before. You know… I could’ve stayed at the shop for a little longer if you’d asked me to.” Gold said with a smirk. “I just hope you remember about practicing safe sex.”

“Dad! It’s not like that! She knows about my situation and offered to tutor me in Literature in exchange for me tutoring her in Computer Science.”

“She offered? Hmm… and she’s about to fail too?”

“No, her situation is not that bad, but Belle is a straight A student. She must’ve gotten a B- for some assignment and started panicking. She is a bit of a nerd, it’s normal for her.”

“And is it normal for her to blush so much around you?” Gold asked, still not convinced.

“Blushing started when you came home.” Now, that Neal said it out loud, a thought came to his head, but he dismissed the idea as crazy.

“Well, she probably was just a bit shy and embarrassed that I walked in on you.”

“Ugh!! For the last time, dad, we’re not dating. I’m not interested in her, and she is not interested in me! We’re friends!!” Neal growled and ran upstairs to hide in his room. “By the way, she asked to wish you good night.” He shouted before shutting the door of his bedroom.

Gold poured himself some scotch and smiled, as he remembered a curious blond angel with huge blue eyes again. A “mini me” of her mother Rose, who always brought Belle along whenever she stepped by searching for another little trinket. He could barely tolerate adults let alone a bubbly kid, but as much as he tried to close off from her and the world in general, Belle got through his walls with her million and one questions and witty comments. Eventually, Gold found himself to be quite fond of her. But then Belle’s mother died in a car accident and her visits stopped. Moe always dropped off rent money at the pawnshop during his flower delivery rounds and Gold didn’t have a reason to go to his shop to collect it like he did in other cases. He just occasionally saw Belle somewhere in town so briefly that he didn’t even recognize her when he saw a beautiful young woman instead of a child.   

 


	3. Chapter 3

IV

In the following few weeks Gold’s evening started in the same way. Robert would come home to be welcomed by Belle’s soft, lilting voice being occasionally interrupted by his son’s still partly boyish and see the two teens sitting by the coffee table littered with textbooks. He would say a quick ‘hello’ to beaming Belle and not so beaming Bae, who obviously didn’t share his tutor’s love for literature, and proceed to his study to work on the books, invoices, shipping documents and such.

As his study was located in close proximity to the living room, Gold could hear what the two were discussing. At first, it was merely a distraction and Gold would shut the door with exasperation. But soon he got curious and started enjoying these literary evening and talks of poetry. Robert didn’t always agree with what Belle was saying when she and Bae discussed various works and poets but it gave him a glimpse into her inner world and he was pleased to find that she was smart, much more mature than his son and still witty if a bit naïve, which he supposed was normal at her age and would eventually be corrected by life. All in all, Gold considered her a good influence on his son and was glad he had a friend like Belle.

It also awakened Gold’s interest for poetry and, as he soon realized, he had quite a taste for it. Belle and Neal long since moved on to other topics in the curriculum, but Gold still read poets they discussed before sleep and even started taking books to the shop to read during the lunch break.  

Things changed unexpectedly one night. Gold was lying in his bed, reading another poetry book and nearly falling asleep when he came across a poem by Lord Byron:

She walks in beauty, like the night  
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
And all that's best of dark and bright  
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:  
Thus mellowed to that tender light  
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.  
  
One shade the more, one ray the less,  
Had half impaired the nameless grace  
Which waves in every raven tress,  
Or softly lightens o'er her face;  
Where thoughts serenely sweet express  
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.  
  
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,  
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,  
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,  
But tell of days in goodness spent,  
A mind at peace with all below,  
A heart whose love is innocent!

He put the book away thinking that even though Byron obviously wrote it about someone else, this poem was a perfect description of Belle. His dreams that night were filled with her as well - her smile and how she bit her lip, her eyes and how she would put the unruly tress away if fell on her face. And even though there was nothing particularly inappropriate about that dream, in the morning Gold decided to change his reading habits at least for the time being…

V

Belle and Neal tutored each other in turns and today it was Computer Science, but before starting Belle excused herself to go to the bathroom. When she came back to the living room Belle saw Neal holding her CS notebook open on the page with their homework.

“Hey! What are you doing? Who gave you the permission to go through my stuff?” She asked, snatching the notebook from Neal.

“I wasn’t going through your stuff, Belle. Your bag fell down from the couch, I went to pick it up and saw the notebook on the floor. The real question is how can you have already done something I was just going to explain to you tonight?”

“Well, I…I was just, um, trying something to show you and see if I got it right.” Belle said looking anywhere but Neal.

“Belle, this was done by someone who knows pretty damn well what they were doing and not someone who was trying something.” Neal said in accusing tone.

No matter how hard she tried Belle couldn’t come up with any at least remotely plausible explanation.

“You don’t really need help with programming, do you?” Neal finally said matter-of-factly.

“I’m nowhere near as good as you are, but…”

“… but it’s not like you need tutoring either.” He finished and Belle shook her head. “Then why did you offer to tutor me if you didn’t need my help?” Neal narrowed his eyes.

“I wanted to help you out.” Belle knew very well that he wouldn’t buy it.   

“Belle, you are a very good friend, but it’s really about my dad, isn’t it?” He said with the same mischievous smirk she loved to see on his father’s face.

“What?! I…I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Oh, come on! I saw the way look at him and how you blush each time he comes near you.”

Belle went beetroot red and looked liked she was about to have a seizure.

After grinning for a few moments, Neal finally took mercy on her.

“Okay, I’m sorry. It’s really none of my business, but I think it’s something you do need help with, and I can help you.” He said with a conspiratorial look on his face.

It took Belle awhile to process his words and she still couldn’t believe she heard him right.

“What do you mean by helping me?”

“I mean that we can come up with a plan which will allow you to spend more time with my father,” – Neal paused, leaned a bit closer and whispered the next word wiggling his eyebrows, - “ _alone_ and…who knows, everything else depends on you two.”

Belle couldn’t believe it. It sounded too good to be true.

“And why would you do that?”

“Well, maybe I need you to do a similar thing for me.”

“You want to spend more time with _my_ dad?” Belle laughed.

“Very funny. No, with your friend Emma.” Neal said seriously.

“Oh?” Belle raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah. I tried to get to know her better, but as you must know, she keeps everyone at distance. You are the only exception.”

Belle fell silent thinking about Neal’s words. She was pretty sure by now that Emma liked him, but she didn’t know what intentions he might have. When Belle saw him looking at her with a question, she voiced her doubts:

“Just to be sure. It’s not some kind of a good-old-bad-teenage-movie-thing where you and your friends have a bet going on or something?” She asked making Neal snort.

“No. Don’t worry. I really like Emma, and my friends have nothing to do with it.”

“Then it’s a deal.” 

“It’s a deal.” Neal repeated with a smirk.

“Wait!” Belle shook her head, “I still can’t believe that you’re actually okay with the idea of me and your father.”

“Well, I was weirded out at first, I’ll admit to that.”

“Why? Because of the age thing?”

“Because of the age thing and because, you know, it’s my father and you’re my classmate.”

“But he’s also a man and a very attractive one.”

“Yeah, let’s not go there.” Neal said cringing a bit.

“Okay.” Belle laughed. “You said you were weirded out at first. What changed?”

“One night I was leaving to hang out with the guys and saw dad reading in his study. There was something about him. He looked so…” Neal trailed off struggling for the right word.

“Lonely?” Belle suggested.

“Well, yes. I never gave it much thought before, but suddenly I realized that he is alone all the time. I mean, naturally there is me, but it got me thinking that maybe it would be good for him to have someone in his life again. Then I thought that if dad had to start dating it might as well be someone I like and get along with.”

“Oh.” Belle breathed out arching an eyebrow. “So you didn’t forget about yourself too, huh?”

“Kind of, besides I can see that you’re really into him and not his money or power.”

“Is there someone who is into his money and power?”

“No, relax. You don’t have any competition, at least not that I know of.” Neal rolled his eyes.

Belle frowned. She knew Gold didn’t have an official girlfriend and she always tried not to let her mind wonder about women in his life, but now this thought scared her – what if there was someone and Gold just didn’t want anyone to know about it?

VI

The plan was brought into action the very next day. Belle was sitting on the porch of Neal’s house allegedly waiting for him because he got hold up at the football practice. Of course in reality Neal was at the movies with Emma because Belle “had” to go home and help her dad with something urgent at the shop. When she was leaving Emma gave her the look that promised a slow and painful death, but Belle figured that love was worth the suffering. Besides, if things would work out between Emma and Neal, instead of being violently murdered she would get thanked.

It was about the time Gold usually came home and Belle’s heart nearly stopped when his car pulled up the driveway.

“Belle, what are you doing outside?” Gold said, getting out of his Cadillac.

“I was already here when Neal called me and said he was running late, so I thought I might as well wait here rather than go home and come back later.”

“I’m gonna have a serious conversation with that boy. I apologize, Belle, please come in.” Gold said gesturing at the front door.

“Thank you, Mr. Gold.”

“Do you want something to drink?”

“No, thanks.” Belle paused summoning her courage. “Actually, uh, there is something I’d like to ask you while we wait if you’re not too busy.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Well, my classmate Ashley is getting married soon and the theme…”

“Your classmate? That girl is getting married at seventeen?” Gold’s shock made him interrupt Belle.

“She is eighteen and, um, pregnant.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad that the guy didn’t get cold feet and is doing the right thing.”

“No, it’s not like that!” Belle protested. “ Ashley and Sean are really in love. They were planning to get married after the graduation anyway. Only now their parents are on board with this idea too.” She laughed.

“Then I sincerely hope they will be very happy.” Gold smiled. Deep down he doubted that two teens were ready to become parents, much less a family. But he really did hope they would make it instead of making the divorce rate in US go higher.

“So, as I was saying, the theme of the wedding is Cinderella’s ball. I have two dresses that everyone seems to like equally, so I can’t decide which one to wear. Do you mind looking and saying what you think?”

“You want me to look at your dresses? I’m afraid, I hardly know anything about fashion, Belle.”

“You don’t have to! I’ll try them and you’ll just need to tell me which one you like best.”

“I think someone your age who knows your company would be a better judge. Bae, for example.”

“I tried asking him and he said, I quote, - _That’s chick stuff and I’m not having anything to do with it_.” Belle gave him a meaningful look and pressed further, “I even tried asking my father, but he just teared up and choked out something about how beautiful I looked, although I’m not 100% sure. Please, Mr. Gold, the wedding is two days and I’m desperate!”

“In that case, I’ll do my best.” Gold finally gave up.

“Thank you so much!” Belle beamed at him. “Where can I change?”

“Change?” When he agreed, Gold didn’t realize that the girl, he wasn’t supposed to dream about the other night, would have to undress in his house with only two of them present, which also wasn’t supposed to be happening. But it was too late to turn back.

“Yes, can I use that room? What is it?” Belle pointed at the closed door down the hallway.

“That’s, uh, my bedroom.” Gold answered barely looking at Belle.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I could use Neal’s room, but I know it’s upstairs and both gowns are pretty big and I’m afraid to trip and fall down…” Belle said gesturing at the size of the bag she was carrying.

She played this conversation in her head about a hundred times while planning all this and still felt her cheeks burn.

“Well, I guess it’s okay. After all, it’s just a room like any other, and it’s probably a lot cleaner than Bae’s.” Gold gestured for Belle to go ahead.

“It’ll just take a moment.” She promised and disappeared behind the closed door.

The evening was taking a very strange turn and Gold couldn’t say for sure how he felt about the idea of naked Belle in his bedroom. In all truth, he simply forbade his mind to ponder the matter any further and decided to busy himself with making tea. Calming mint was the obvious choice.

Belle stood in the middle of the room slowly looking around and couldn’t believe she was really here. Gold’s bedroom. She was here before only in her wildest dreams and although it looked nothing like the room she imagined, everything about it was him. The Persian rug on the floor, burgundy wallpapers and a massive four-post bed made of black wood. As if she was hypnotized, Belle walked to the bed, bent down and smelled one of the pillows. Belle knew she would love the smell of his skin, she just didn’t expect it to leave her lightheaded. The temptation was strong but Belle didn’t dare to lie down or even touch the bed. Somehow she was sure that Gold would notice even the tiniest wrinkle on the covers that wasn’t there in the morning. Instead Belle shook her head and tried to focus on changing rather than where she was doing it.

The first dress Gold saw was shimmering blue with blue embroidery on the shoulders and around the neckline. While it was beautiful on its own, the gown seamed overwhelming on Belle’s delicate figure and didn’t really work well with her porcelain skin.

“Well?” She asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Um, it’s lovely, I guess.” He felt too old and uncomfortable for this. The man who mastered the art of toying with words didn’t know how to put his opinion about a piece of clothing!

“Okay, let me show you the other one, so you can compare.” Belle suggested seeing his confusion and hurried to change again.

Gold was just pouring hot water into the cup when Belle came out for the second time.

“And want do you think about this one?”

Robert looked up and nearly forgot how to breathe. This gown was golden making Belle look like she was glowing and brought out her bottomless blue eyes.

Being distracted as he was, Gold completely forgot he was still pouring boiling water into cup making it overflow and burn him. He jerked his hand and cup fell to the flow.

“Oh God! Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Gold assured and went to pick up the cup.

“I’m so sorry. I should have waited till you were done. Now you have a burn and a broken cup.” Belle said in the apologetic tone when Gold stood up.

“It’s no matter. My hand is fine and the cup is not broken.”

“It’s …chipped.” Belle breathed out.

“It’s just a cup. Don’t worry.” Gold wave it off with a soft smile.

“Okay, then. What do you think about this dress?”

“I…uh, I think it suits you better.”

“And what about the hair? Should I wear it down or make an updo?” Belle turned around and picked her hair up revealing her neck and upper back.

Gold’s eyes traced the line of her neck down her spine to where the dress prevented him from seeing anymore of her ivory skin. Suddenly Robert wished his hand could follow, allowing him to feel Belle’s skin under his fingertips. He longed to plant butterfly kisses to her bare shoulder and hear Belle’s soft sigh as she would close her eyes and give in to the sensation.

“Mr. Gold?” Belle called, breaking through his thoughts.

“Uh …either way is fine. Um, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.” Gold muttered, heading for his study.

“Of course. Thanks for helping me, Mr. Gold.” Belle said when Gold already shut the door, leaving her lost and guessing what caused the abrupt change in his mood.

Robert leaned at the door and shut his eyes. What the hell was he doing? Thinking Belle was lovely, liking her as a person, even dreaming about her might have been okay. But desire? Desire was definitely not! The girl was only seventeen and he knew her since she was a toddler, for God's sake! Was he losing his mind? If Belle only suspected what kind of thoughts were running through his head she would be horrified and disgusted.

Gold poured himself a class of scotch and downed it in one big gulp.

It had to be just his hormones acting up. His body decided to remind him he was still a man and not a dead one at the worst time possible. That was it. It couldn’t be anything else.

 


	4. Chapter 4

VII

“So you’re not gonna kill me?” Belle asked in disbelief when she met Emma next day at school.

First she saw Neal all smiles before the first period and now Emma was all but chirping about random stuff at lunch break instead of trying to strangle Belle.

“Well, I was going to.” Emma laughed. “But the evening wasn’t so bad so…” Emma shrugged.

“Aha.” Belle hummed. “So you actually liked Neal?”

“He is okay.” Emma brushed off, but the glint in her eyes suggested there was something more.

“And…?” Belle pressed arching an eyebrow.

“And I might have agreed to meet him again tonight.” Emma muttered suddenly very interested in the contents of her plate.

“I told you he was a good guy.” Belle smiled feeling not only happy for her friends but also strangely proud of herself for facilitating the lucky _‘accident’_. “So tonight is your first date, well officially.” Belle blurted without thinking. She regretted it right away because Emma stopped chewing her salad and looked up at Belle narrowing her eyes.

“So it really was a set up.” She said matter-of-factly. “I had my suspicions but now I’m sure.”

“What? No!” Belle denied worried that Emma might reconsider not killing her. “I told you, I had…the thing…at the shop.”

“The thing at the shop? Really?” Emma inquired sarcastically.

Belle sighed. “Fine. But in my defense – I didn’t set you up with some random guy and you did like him!”

“I don’t really appreciate this sort of thing.” Emma said dryly.

“But you like Neal!”

By the way Emma pursed her lips and returned her attention to the salad, Belle could tell that she decided to let the subject go, at least for the time being. Apparently the evening went a lot better than Emma was willing to admit.

It really was striking, the difference between the reserved and guarded Emma everyone knew and sweet goofy Emma that came out once she felt secure enough to lower the walls she built to keep people out. Pretty soon it became obvious that Storybrooke High had a new couple of sweethearts who didn’t even try to hide anything smiling and waving at each other in the hallways, holding hands or sneaking away somewhere during breaks to steal a few moments alone. It wasn’t surprising in Neal’s case. He never cared about who might have seen what. But it was a huge step for Emma who never felt comfortable showing her feelings.

As good and blooming as Neal’s relationship with Emma was as bleak and hopeless Belle’s situation got. After the night Gold all but ran out of the room and hid behind the closed door as if someone was chasing him, he started coming home later everyday. He would mutter something about having a lot of work and barricaded himself in the study without making any kind of small talk like he used to or even so much as looking at Belle. Did she really annoy him that much with her little dress trick? Belle realized that it wasn’t the most sophisticated move but she wanted Gold to see her in something more feminine than jeans and t-shirts she usually wore. Did Gold think her foolish now and couldn’t stand a minute in her presence? Or even worse! Gold somehow figured out what it was all about and was avoiding her now to avoid any further awkwardness.

Belle tried to persuade herself that she was just being paranoid, but days were passing by and nothing changed, including Belle's mind driving her crazy with guesses.

Finally she couldn’t take it anymore and asked Neal to carefully find out if his father really had any grievances against her. When he came to school the next day and quoted his father as saying _‘I don’t have any problems with Ms. French’_ before changing the subject, Belle knew she wasn’t imagining things. After weeks of being _Belle_ she suddenly became _Ms. French_ again – Gold was obviously distancing himself.

Even though Neal got what he wanted out of their deal he was still supportive. He assured Belle that she could count on him whenever she needed him to “run late” again. Usually it was Belle who cheered everyone up and insisted to keep trying, but suddenly she couldn’t find it in herself. She was tired and emotionally drained. For the first time Belle felt the weight of living with this unrequited feeling for so long she couldn’t even remember. Maybe life was trying to tell her that it was time to open her eyes and accept the fact that no matter what made Gold avoid her the result would still be the same – the love story she created in her head was never going to happen. He was a grown man who probably would be touched and flattered should he find out about her infatuation with him – if he didn’t already – but would never even consider to actually start a relationship with a teenager. Or he simply didn't find her attractive and it had nothing to do with their age difference.

“Come on, Belle, this is not like you!” Neal protested listening to Belle rationalizing why they should call it quits.

“Well, feeling a gaping hole in my chest is a very new experience for me, Neal.” She really did feel a huge emptiness somewhere in her rib cage, right where all those crazy butterflies used to live, and was unable to pick the words or put on a brave face. What was the point? Neal knew she loved his father and was the only person she could talk about it with. “All these years I lived with hope. I was so sure that someday, somehow something would happen. The circumstances would finally be perfect and everything would occur naturally.”

“Belle I’ve known you long enough to be sure that this,” he gestured at Belle referring to her current state of mind, “what ever it is will pass and you will be sorry for not trying harder. You don’t want to live with ‘ _what if’_ , do you?”

Belle looked Neal in the eye thinking that he might not have his father’s skills, not yet, but was already good with words when he wanted to.

“Fine, let’s give it one more try.” She smiled softly. No matter how things would turn out with Robert, Belle was glad that this little conspiracy gave her the opportunity to get to know Neal a little better and she was pleased with what she saw.

“Great! Then tonight, as usual?”

“Tonight? I thought you and Emma had plans everyday now.” She said teasing Neal.

“There were no particular plans, nothing that can’t wait till tomorrow anyway.”

“You’re gonna cancel a date with Emma to help me?”

“Well, if it wasn’t for you there’d be no date to cancel in the fist place, so I think I owe you one. Besides, I wanna see the smile back on your face and perhaps a matching one on my old man’s face wouldn’t be so bad either.” He smirked.

“Then I’ll see you later tonight.” Belle agreed already feeling a lot better and a little more hopeful.

VIII

“Hi Emma.”

The only reply to her greeting Belle got was a dry, evaluating look. She knew that Emma wasn’t the most cheerful person on the planet, but that was strange even for her.

“Is there something wrong?” Once the words left her lips, Belle knew that something really was very very wrong.

“How was your studying last night with Neal?” She asked after a long pause.

“It was okay, as usual.” Belle shrugged hoping her face won’t give her away – she was never a good liar. The evening was a total fiasco. Gold didn’t show up at all and after waiting for an hour they called it a night. Neal dropped her off at home and went to Granny’s hoping some of his friends might be there. He wanted Belle to come with him, but of course she wasn’t in the mood to see anybody.

“Really?” Emma asked with a bitter little laugh. “Remember how I told you that because Mary Margaret and David missed so much of my childhood they liked to take me out for ice cream at Granny’s every now and then to bond and stuff?”

“Yes?”

“Well, that’s what they did last night and guess what I saw?”

Belle’s face was blank just like her mind.

“I saw Neal and Ariel leaving Granny’s laughing.”

“Um… Emma, I can explain …”

“Don’t bother!” Emma interrupted her. “I figured.”

“You did?” For a briefest moment Belle hoped she really did worked everything out.

“Yeah, Ariel is on the cheerleader team with Tamara, so apparently Neal suffers from the I-wanna-fuck-the-whole-cheerleader-team disorder and you, being friends with both of them, were covering.”

“No, Emma, you got it wrong. You know Ariel is crazy about that college guy, an exchange student from Europe, um, I think his name is Eric.”

“Well, he’s gonna go back to Europe sooner or later, so she’s probably looking for someone to comfort her.”

Belle looked at Emma gaping. She had so much to say, but she didn’t know where to start because: a) Belle had no idea that Emma was so jealous, b) Emma’s chain of thought actually made sense, c) it was completely and utterly wrong, and d) how do you tell your best friend that her boyfriend was the one covering for you while you tried to seduce his father?

“Emma, I promise you no one is cheating on anybody! If you just give me a moment …”

“So you can come up with a more elaborate lie? I spent the first half of my life with people lying to me and I’m so fed up with it! Tell your friend that we’re done, so he can concentrate on cheerleaders full time!” Emma blurted preparing to leave, but stopped in her tracks. “You know Belle, of all people I would never expect you to betray me like that.”

Emma’s last words were like a punch in the gut and Belle felt her eyes starting to burn with tears. Now she couldn’t speak even if she tried, but it didn’t matter because Emma was already gone.

Belle forced herself to take one deep breath, then another and wiped her cheeks. She had to find Neal. She needed to talk to him and figure out how to fix the mess she dragged them both into.

* * *

Gold opened the door and saw Belle in tears and shaking.

“Belle, what happened?” He breathed out looking her over. At least she didn’t have any visible injuries.

“Um, is Neal home?” Belle asked weakly. She was a mess and of course Robert had to be home.

“No, he called not long ago and said that he was going to be late. Uh, coach Nolan wanted to work on some new combination or something.” Gold shook his head frowning. Unlike his son, he was never big on sports.

Belle laughed bitterly. The only time she actually needed Neal and not Robert to be there he really had a practice. God had a weird sense of humor.

“That’s why I couldn’t reach him on his cell. It must be in the locker room.” Belle explained seeing Gold’s puzzled expression.

 “Come in, Gosh, you’re shivering!” He suddenly remembered, stepping aside. “Do you want something? Hot tea? Coffee? Glass of water?”

“No, thank you.”

“Come, sit.” He urged Belle to follow him into the living room. “I know you wanted to talk to Bae, but if you tell me what’s wrong maybe I can help.” He needed to know what happened otherwise his mind was going to drive Gold crazy picturing one horrible thing after another.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gold, I can’t tell you.”

“Belle, I know teenagers don’t really like to share their worries with older people thinking they wouldn’t understand anything and start criticize…”

“No, no, it’s not that.” Belle assured. “You are the one person I really can’t tell this.” Belle explained searching his eyes. “I wish I could.” She added hoping against hope that somehow Gold would understand what she meant.

“Whatever it is, I’m a father and pretty sure I’ve been through something similar with Bae.” In reality Gold was completely lost and could only guess.

Belle gave him a sad smile and shook her head. Robert looked at her with so much concern and tenderness that it hurt. It made Belle want to throw her arms around his neck and pour everything out. Or just kiss him and come what may. _‘And what am I waiting for?’_ She suddenly thought with a wild abandon. After what happened this might very well be the last time she was alone with Gold. This wasn’t the perfect circumstances she’s been waiting for, but from the look of things they weren’t going to get any better. Belle looked up at Robert feeling her heart start to pound and bit her lower lip.

“I don’t need a father right now.” Belle said summoning her courage.

Gold saw her eyes darkening, but before he could process her words or say something Belle’s lips were on his. Gold stilled in shock. Her lips were moving gently and a bit tentatively against his making Gold feel electricity pulsing through his veins. Robert knew he had to stop it only his treacherous hands were already cupping Belle’s face to pull her in tighter and the kiss was no longer one-sided. Then he felt her cheeks still wet from crying under his fingers and it brought Gold back to reality. The girl was upset, couldn’t think straight and he was a bastard taking advantage of it.

“Belle, stop. We can’t do this.” He said pulling away.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re seventeen, upset and I am forty five and this is all sorts of wrong.”

“Did it feel wrong when we kissed?” Belle asked searching his eyes. Her lips were still entirely too close to Gold’s for his comfort or uncompromised thinking process for that matter.

It wasn’t supposed to feel so good, so right to hold Belle in his arms, but it did. It felt like she belonged there and he never wanted to let her go.

Gold realized that he might have only seconds left before his self-control was going to betray him and he would start kissing her face until there would be no trace of tears and then proceed to every other part of her body. He could hold back and pretend before, when he thought that Belle would be repulsed at the very idea of being close to him. Obviously she was not and Gold didn’t trust himself around her anymore.

“Belle, you should go.” He stood up and turned away.

“What?”

“Please leave now.” Gold insisted clenching his jaw.

“No, not until you tell me what …”

“Get out!” Robert shouted silencing her question.

In her eyes, Gold saw Belle's heart breaking at that very moment and pain echoed in his chest. She let out a sob and ran from the living room and out of his house. Gold knew he did the right thing, but he still felt like a monster. Enraged, he hit the glass coffee table with his cane breaking it into pieces that scattered all over the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the story rating from Mature to Explicit because while I was writing this chapter it got a little more... well, explicit than I originally planned. Thought I should warn you just in case.  
> Now that you've been warned, happy reading and I hope you'll enjoy the ride! :)

It was pretty late when Neal’s football practice ended and he said goodbye to his teammates. His muscles felt sore, but it was a pleasant kind of tiredness. He got into the car and went to check his cell. What he saw made him raise his eyebrows in surprise and push the call button.

“Hey Belle. I got your missed call, all 27 of them, in fact.” Neal smirked. “Did you decide we gave up on our little plan too soon after all?”

All he heard from the other end was a jabber about Emma seeing something interrupted by occasional sobs.

“Bel… Belle… Belle calm down, I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

He heard Belle taking a deep breath and after a pause she finally started speaking comprehendible English.

“No, guys weren’t there and I went home.”

…

“What? No, I met Ariel at Granny’s. You know she leaves not far from the diner. She walked me to the car and we both went home after that.”

…

“Emma said that? Hum.”

…

“Yea, my girl is one crazy cookie.” He smiled softly.

…

“Belle, you’re mumbling again.”

…

“Stop apologizing! It wasn’t anybody’s fault. It’s a stupid misunderstanding. I’ll talk to Emma.”

…

 “I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure I can make her see what really happened.”

…

“Yes, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry! It’s not like anybody died or disappeared from the face of the earth. Try to calm down, okay? I’ll talk to you later.”

Neal ended the call and frowned. First, Emma created a soap opera out of nothing. Now Belle was almost hysterical over a fight with her friend that they wouldn’t even remember in a week. Neal sighed. He just didn’t get women, but he hoped it would change with age.

He was supposed to be worried, he thought. But he wasn’t. He just got an idea about how to fix things. Neal was head over heels in love with Emma and, if anything, her jealousy was good news for him because it meant he wasn’t there alone…

* * *

The next day Belle didn’t go to school having no objections from her father after she told him that she was coming down with a cold. Late in the evening she got e-mail from Neal.

He told Emma that they finished studying earlier because Belle wasn’t feeling well and went to Granny’s to hang out with his friends where he met Ariel. Of course Emma didn’t want to listen and Neal had to pretty much kidnap her after school. He took her to Granny’s. Emma refused to go inside but Neal suggested that if after a conversation with Ruby she wouldn’t be convinced that he was faithful she could kick him in the nuts, which worked surprisingly well.

Ruby spoke fluent French and gave lessons as her second job. Neal casually asked her how the lessons with Ariel were going and Ruby started gushing about how romantic it was that Ariel was studying French to surprise Eric when she would go to visit him in summer. Emma realized what actually happened. And Ruby’s further chirping about Ariel and Eric falling in love and Ariel wanting to get her Bachelor at the same university Eric studied finished the job.

The evening ended with Emma and Neal getting back together after her profound apologies.

Emma called the next morning saying she was an idiot, but she hoped Belle could forgive her and they would be friends again. Belle gladly agreed.

IX

“Um, Bae, it’s been almost a week since I last saw you and Ms. French studying. Are you done?”

“Yea, pretty much, but Belle is sick right now. I haven’t seen her in days.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Gold felt stupid trying not to look or sound too interested.

“She said she got a cold.”

“I see.” Gold breathed. For some reason he was sure it was not a cold and felt a sting of guilt.

“Okay, I’m gone.”

“Where? You’re being very secretive lately.” Gold said arching an eyebrow.

“I, uh, have a date.” He said, slowly backing to the door. Neal knew he needed to leave quickly otherwise the “third degree” would be inevitable.

“What? You have a girlfriend? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry. I promise I will, but not now. I’m about to be late.” Neal uttered slipping through the front door and cut his father short leaving him standing in the hallway with an open mouth.

Gold smirked. Every day Bae reminded Robert himself at his age more and more.

Gold tried to busy himself with making dinner, watching TV, reading… but he still couldn’t get the thoughts of Belle out of his head. If he were to be honest with himself, Gold would have to admit that he’s been thinking about her since the night they kissed. He felt horrible for acting the way he did toward her and tried to find comfort in the fact that it was in Belle’s best interests. It didn’t work.

But guilt wasn’t the worst thing he had to deal with. Gold was missing Belle, her smile, her eyes. And no matter how hard he tried Robert couldn’t forget the taste of Belle’s lips and how she half sighed half moaned when he responded to the kiss. Each time the memories brought on a new rush of excitement and longing. He was in hell. As if with that kiss a poison got into his blood and Gold felt it running through his veins, invading every cell of his body. 

It’s one thing to stay away and try to move on when you think you can’t have something, and it’s completely different when you know you can. He got a taste of Belle and now lived with a constant craving.

Nevertheless, the new information about Belle missing school and avoiding people made him realize that he had to do something however difficult it could be for him. He owed her at least that.

In a few minutes Gold found himself pacing the living room. He couldn’t just call her house. What if her father picked up? 

 _‘Hello Mr. French, I’d like to speak to Belle to apologize for acting like an asshole after she kissed me.’_ He already caused her enough heartache and didn’t want to be responsible for giving Moe a stroke. And anyway, it wasn’t a phone conversation in the first place. Robert wanted to talk to her face to face and make sure Belle understood where he was coming from. Besides, he had to consider the possibility that after their last encounter Belle wouldn’t want to talk to him at all.

The idea that came to his head next made Gold’s skin crawl. It was so wrong on so many levels he couldn’t even begin to count.

Bae left his laptop on in the living room, on the new wooden coffee table, which replaced the one that became a victim of Gold’s rage. Skype was open. Robert knew that Belle might not want to talk to him, but she would talk to Bae.

He dwelled on the idea for a few minutes, but couldn’t find an alternative. He lost control once and hurt the girl he… cared about, obviously. There was no point to deny it anymore. Now he had to take responsibility and stop hiding from the issue like a coward even if it required doing the creepiest thing he could imagine.

“Hey. Are you there?” Gold pressed ‘send’ feeling his heart thump.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“I need you to come over. It’s important.”

“Why? What happened? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s fine. I’ll explain everything when you’re here.”

“Um, ok.”

Gold thought that it was easier than he expected. Then he got another message, “Is your father home?”

Now Robert knew he was right.

“No, he’s doing inventory at the shop.”

“Ok, I’m on my way.”

Thirty-four minutes that passed before Gold heard the doorbell ring felt like a month. He opened the door and once their eyes met he heard Belle taking in a sharp breath.

“M…Mr. Gold, I came to…” Belle tried to put on a brave face, but all her strength went to keep from stuttering.

“I know. Bae is not here.” Gold said quietly trying to find his own voice.

Just seeing Belle felt like she filled some void inside of him Robert didn’t even know was there. “Belle, please wait.” He hurried to stop her when she tried to leave. “It was me in Skype earlier.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we need to talk. Please come in.”

Belle hesitated for a few seconds biting her lower lip.

“Belle, you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”

“I’m not.” She said firmly and stepped over the threshold.

And Gold was...

They silently went to the living room. Tension was physically sensible in the air and Gold decided to start without a preamble, “Belle, that night…when… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“But you did.”

“I know and I apologize for losing my temper, but I’m sure now you realize that it was for your own good.” He looked at her pleading for understanding.

“How is you yelling at me or chasing me away is for my own good?”

“I still don’t know what happened before you came here that upset you so much, but it obviously made you unable to think clear. And I didn’t want you to do something you would regret later.”

Suddenly things started making much more sense to Belle and she felt her strength coming back. “You think that I kissed you because I was upset and didn’t understand what I was doing? That I was merely looking for comforting?”

“But of course.”

“God, you really have no idea, do you?” Belle asked with a bitter little laugh. 

“About what?” The notes of sheer pain in her voice took Gold aback.

“I’m in love with you.” She said almost inaudibly. Strange as it was, but Belle felt relived once the words left her lips. “Always was, long before the kiss or the night I first came here with Neal.”

It took Robert a few seconds to process her words and realize what they implied. He was Belle’s first love.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Gold breathed finally. His heart swelled. ~~~~

“You pushed me away to protect the little girl with ponytails you still see when you look at me. It’s very sweet and noble of you, but I’m not that little girl anymore. I want you to see me as a woman and start thinking like a man.” Belle’s words made Gold let out a strained laugh.

“Belle, trust me, I do see you as a woman even though I tried so hard not to! And that’s exactly why I shouldn’t think like a man. Because if I do, we will end up in my bed so fast you won’t be able to notice where all your clothes had gone.”

“And what makes you think I would be opposed to that?”

“Um…I am opposed to that!” Gold stated. “Because…uh…” He was struggling suddenly challenged to explain why it wouldn’t be the best thing in the world. “Belle, you’re a bright young woman, kind and beautiful. You have your whole life ahead of you. I can’t let you waste yourself on the likes of me.”

“You can’t let me? Who gave you the right to make my decisions for me?” Belle demanded. “If I’m so smart and wonderful, don’t you think I deserve to decide what I want?”

“Belle, you don’t want me.” Gold knew that it wasn’t uncommon for young girls to feel attraction to older men. She couldn’t possibly be really in love with him. And even if she was, Belle deserved much more than whatever a middle aged man with relationship issues could give her.

Belle sighed and came closer looking him straight in the eye.

“I don’t know how or when it happened. One minute you were this mysterious moody pawnshop owner I remembered from my childhood and the next I know I can’t stop thinking about you and imagining us … ” Belle trailed off as embarrassment got the better of her. Her cheeks burned, but she already started talking. She had to be brave and finish. “I may blush whenever you as much as look at me and have a hard time keeping my heart from jumping out of my chest when I talk to you, but I am mature enough to say “I love you”. It’s not a momentary weakness, curiosity or some misguided fantasy and I don’t need you to tell me what I want or what I don’t. Please don’t look for excuses if you simply don’t feel the same way about me. I can take the truth.” Belle said calmly and turned to leave.

Gold was all but dumbstruck staring at her back with an open mouth. How could he be so blind?

“Belle, wait.” Robert called before realizing it.

Belle turned around timidly. Her composure was gone. She looked so lost and hurt that it broke Gold’s heart in two. What was the point of holding back if it only tortured both of them? _‘Screw it!’_ That was the last coherent thought in his head.

In a second Gold covered the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. The dam finally broke. Gold kissed her with desperation, drinking Belle in like a man dying of thirst. His tongue sneaked inside Belle’s mouth searching places that made her knees weak. She sighted happily in his arms, pliant and eager. There was no turning back now, even if Gold wanted to stop. He had to have her and judging by the way Belle moaned into his mouth she felt the same way.

He gently led Belle down the hall to his bedroom breaking their kisses only long enough to avoid tripping.

They stopped next to the bed and Robert was going to ask one more time if Belle was sure she wanted this, but her hands were already tugging at his tie, trying to loosen it. He took it as a “yes”. Belle won the fight with his neck garment surprisingly fast throwing it to the floor and proceeded to work on the buttons of his shirt. He patiently let Belle’s fingers explore his chest when she pulled the shirt out of his pants and flung it open. Belle leaned down to put soft kisses where her fingers were seconds ago. Gold’s breath caught, his hands itched to touch her, but there was a question Gold needed to ask before he completely forgot himself with desire.

“Belle, have you ever…?” He trailed off because Belle’s eyes shot up and he saw the answer there. “It’s okay. We’ll take things slow and I promise I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.” Gold reassured in case she was worried. He might have been a bastard for taking a teenage girl to his bed, but if he was going to be Belle’s first he wanted to make it as pleasant for her as possible.

“I know.” She smiled. “I trust you.” Belle added and pulled him in for another kiss.

They shrugged his shirt off and Belle’s sweater followed it to the floor leaving her in just a plain white bra.

“I would wear something nicer if I knew…” She said shyly.

“There is no need for anything lacy. You’re perfect, Belle.” Robert said softly and he meant it.

He went to plant light kisses to her jaw and under her earlobe. Belle wrapped her arms around his neck and Gold’s hands roamed her back as they both were enjoying their long awaited closeness. Robert trailed a line of kisses down her throat, nibbling at her pulse point and making Belle dig her fingernails into his skin.

He felt her hands going down to the buckle of his belt. Belle might have been inexperienced, but her determination was enough to win this battle too without even looking at what she was doing, and his pants along with boxers fell to the floor.

Belle looked down. Robert saw her eyes widening and gulped. He wasn’t shy because of his nakedness; he felt a little strange because he knew that it was the first time Belle saw man’s erection in front of her. But the way Belle stared at him biting her lip made his cock twitch. It seemed to have stirred up Belle’s curiosity and she carefully took him in her hand. She slowly stroked him up and down few times obviously studying the texture and the feel of him in her palm. Gold choked back a groan still careful not to startle her. Continuing her exploration, Belle experimentally dragged a fingernail along the vein under his shaft and it became too much. Gold hissed and grabbed her hand. As much as he wanted Belle to have things her way, Robert was afraid he would embarrass himself if she continued her ministrations. After all it was too long since he had a beautiful young woman in his bedroom, let alone the one he’s been infatuated with for so long. Belle looked up at him with a question and Gold attacked her lips simply unable to explain anything at the moment.

Belle didn’t seem to mind or insist on having a conversation about it. She sat down and moved to the center of the bed. The look on her face was like the siren call. Gold discarded his shoes along with the socks and pants that were still wrapped around his ankles to join her.

A sudden thought stopped him in his tracks. Gold opened the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a condom from the pack he forgot there. Having made the necessary arrangements Gold joined Belle and went on to unbutton and unzip her jeans. He pulled them and her panties down and off of her legs.

At that moment reality caught up with Belle. She was lying naked, save for her bra, on Gold’s bed with the man she loved sitting between her parted legs. After dreaming about him for so long the situation was a bit overwhelming.

Robert noticed the change in her emotions immediately, but before he could start worrying or draw the wrong conclusion, Belle pulled herself up to sit on her knees and kissed him. Gold’s hands found the clasp of Belle’s bra and in a moment it completed the pile of their clothes on the floor. They were now both completely naked and pressed flush against each other, enjoying skin to skin contact.

Carefully, minding his bad leg, Gold lowered them to the mattress and set on the mission of pleasing his beauty. He started with her throat already having memorized the places to lick and bite that would make her keen. Then he lavished each of her rosy nipples with attention until both turned into hard nubs. Reluctantly, Gold abandoned Belle breasts to kiss his way down her belly to the final destination. He planted a few kisses on her inner thighs, gradually going up to give Belle the idea of what he had in mind. 

When Robert looked up he saw Belle staring back at him flushed and panting. She bit her lower lip and nodded. Gold promised to do only what she was comfortable with and Belle gave her permission without needing him to voice the question.

He started cautiously, slowly parting her folds with his tongue. She tasted divine and Gold couldn’t help but groan at how wet she was for him.

“My sweet girl.” He half whispered half rumbled right above her glittering womanhood. The brush of his hot breath against her most sensitive place made Belle gasp. She had no idea such an intense sensation could be caused without a direct touch.

As if in a frenzy, Robert licked her, looking for the crevices that made Belle mewl and slowly, too slowly, getting closer to her clit.

Belle fisted her hands in the sheets and threw her head back, unable to do anything but writhe and wait for this blissful torture to reach its culmination. She would’ve never admitted to Robert that this scene had happened in her mind before, and more than once while she was taking a bath or fantasizing about him before falling asleep. But this was much more intense than a touch of her hand. Belle’s mind went into a shut down, leaving her incapable to make a coherent sound and all her senses were concentrated in her core, burning and begging for release.

And yet, no matter how much she wanted, needed it at this point, Belle’s climax took her by surprise. One moment she felt Robert's lips on her bud of nerves, Belle might have even felt his teeth she wasn’t sure, because in the next second her world exploded making her scream. Belle’s muscles went rigid and the only point of support was Robert’s hands holding her convulsing body.

Gold gently stroked her sides waiting while Belle tried to remember how to breathe again. She felt boneless, hot and perfect. Her sanity came back, but she still couldn’t say a word and just pulled Gold up for a kiss. Belle detected a new flavor on his lips and realized it was her own. Moaning, she deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His weight on her body was a welcome feel. Robert was already positioned between her thighs and she felt his cock pressing against her entrance. Belle wasn’t particularly well versed when it came to sex and male anatomy, but she knew enough to realize that Gold must be painfully aroused by now. And yet, he wasn’t trying to push inside or do anything about his own needs. Belle broke the kiss and bucked her hips looking Robert in the eyes, hoping he would get the hint. He did.

“This might hurt, love.” Gold warned, as he took himself in hand.

Belle nodded and he slowly entered her applying only enough force to break through her inner barrier. Belle yelped and clung to his shoulders, her eyes shut.

“Breathe, darling. Just breathe.” Gold whispered in her ear and gently kissed Belle’s throat.

She swallowed and took one breath, then another and felt the pain dissolving as her body was adjusting to the intrusion.

Robert felt her muscles relax. He did his best to ignore how unbearably tight and wet and hot Belle was around him, otherwise he would lose control. Gold waited until Belle wiggled cautiously under him and tried to move pulling out just a little before slowly pushing back in. Seeing no evidence of pain or discomfort on Belle’s face, he picked a gentle, steady rhythm allowing her to feel through the new sensations.

Robert slowly worked her to the peak whispering hot nonsense into Belle’s ear encouraging her, praising her beauty, confessing how much he wanted her.

Belle had so much to say to him, but she couldn’t speak. She was overwhelmed. Each nerve in her body was on edge. She could only press herself tighter to Robert and kiss him with all she had hoping it would speak louder than words.

The pain and discomfort were long gone, replaced by something big and all consuming; something none of the dozens of books Belle read gave her the words for.

On an impulse, Belle wrapped her legs around Robert’s waist letting him go deeper. He realized that Belle liked the new angle because her moans started to grow louder and Gold couldn’t help but thrust harder and faster as the burning need was building inside of him. He knew Belle was getting close too – her inner walls were tightening around his cock. He sneaked one of his hands in between their sweaty bodies and found Belle’s swollen clit with his fingers. It only took a few strokes before she cried out and her walls clenched around him dragging Gold over the edge too. He came hard muffling the near inhuman sound in the crook of Belle’s neck.

Breathless, Gold pressed a kiss to her lips and whatever little presence of mind he still had was enough to collapse next to Belle to avoid crushing her with his weigh.

Gently yet possessively, Gold pulled Belle into his arms before closing his eyes and letting them both float in the aftermath. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Fluff! Fluff everywhere!!  
> I might have gone a bit too far with lovey-dovey stuff in this chapter, but, hey, those two love birds deserved to finally have some happiness. ;)

Belle opened her eyes and saw Gold lying on his side next to her and watching her with a smile.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You know, it’s supposed to be romantic, but it actually feels kind of creepy that you’re watching me sleep.”

“Couldn’t help myself.” Gold chuckled.

“Did I sleep long?”

“No, you dozed off for like fifteen minutes.”

“Good. The last thing I wanna do is sleep when I have you right here.” She murmured and snuggled closer to Robert.

Belle closed her eyes and ran her fingers through Gold’s hair with a satisfied hum.

“What are you doing?” He asked, not displeased with her ministrations but puzzled nonetheless.

Belle giggled blushing. “I always liked your hair and wondered what it would feel like to the touch.”

“Is it everything you hoped?” Gold spoke a bit theatrically making Belle giggle again.

“Even better.” She smiled.

Gold reveled in the moment, boyishly proud that he could make her blush. His eyes couldn’t get their fill, admiring Belle like an otherworldly creature or the finest work of art.

Later, tomorrow they would have to face the world and learn how to deal with the changes in their relationship, starting with the very fact that there was now a relationship. But right here, right now there was no one but them enveloped in this cocoon of warmth and tenderness. Their own safe little haven where he could caress her face without the fear that someone would see or that Belle would push him away.

Gold’s previous experience didn’t fail to remind him that happiness never lasted long, not in his case anyway. And Gold wanted to savor each and every moment he spent with Belle and commit them to memory.

He buried his face on her chest and inhaled deeply. Belle didn’t smell of strawberries or vanilla or anything books usually suggested. She smelled like home, sunshine and a hint of ocean. Or maybe it was just Belle, his beautiful Belle and Gold immediately felt drunk.

“What?” Belle asked when she felt rather than heard Robert chuckling silly against her skin. “Do I have something funny written there?”

Gold laughed a little louder this time and lifted his face up to look at her.

“No, I guess I just forgot what it felt like.”

Belle raised her eyebrows in question.

“To be so… content, at peace and … happy.” He explained softly and lowered his gaze. Robert was also out of practice at talking about his feelings. Actually, he was never good at it. But having hurt Belle with his inapt attempt to do the right thing, Gold hoped that he could at least partly make up for it by being open.

“I know what you mean.” Belle murmured with an understanding smile on her face. “I’ve been caught smiling silly while thinking of you on more than one occasion.”

“What exactly did you think about?” Gold smirked.

“This.” She whispered and pulled Gold up for a kiss.

He responded enthusiastically and kissed her slowly, deeply, thoroughly. Now that there was no uncertainty or itching urgency to undress each other with shaking hands as fast as possible, Gold could kiss her properly. He wanted Belle to forget how to think, how to breathe or do anything else except for kissing him back and making those delicious little sounds in the back of her throat that threatened to bring the urgency and the itching back.

They could’ve been kissing for hours if it wasn’t for Belle's stomach and its pretty loud growling.

Gold broke the kiss with soft laugh, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes!” Belle said wiggling her eyebrows and the glint in her eyes suggested that she wasn’t talking about food.

“I’m serious.” Gold gave her a dry look trying to hide a smile.

“Me too!”

“Belle.”

“Fine”, she sighed, “I didn’t really have an appetite for the past few days and apparently my stomach chose this moment to demand attention.”

These words made Gold feel a familiar sting of guilt. “I made lasagna a couple of hours ago. Give me a minute to put something on and we can have dinner.”

“Lasagna?” Belle’s eyes widened. She didn’t think that single fathers could go any further than mac and cheese. At least that was the extent of Moe’s cooking skills, which was why she learned to cook pretty early.

“Yea, it’s Bae’s favorite.” Gold said nonchalantly.

“I don’t know if anybody told you this before, but I think you’re doing an amazing job as a father, being both mom and dad for your son.” She smiled fondly.

 “Well thank you, love, but I don’t think I will be winning any “Parent of the Year” awards after just having sex with my son’s 17 year old classmate.”

“You can always say I coerced you.” Belle suggested making Gold snort.

“And how do I explain luring you into the house pretending to be your teenage friend who desperately needed to talk?”

“Yeah, that might not go over very well.” Belle agreed pursing her lips.

“You think?” Gold laughed.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you did.” Belle said seriously, looking Gold in the eyes.

“Are you sure? Sure this is what you want?” These questions were still burning in his mind.

“I want you, Robert. I can’t even remember the time I didn’t.”

“You know, you can tell me if you regret what happened, or have doubts…”

Belle interrupted him softly pressing her fingers to Gold’s lips. “I don’t and I won’t.” Belle assured firmly. “Do you?” She asked suddenly worried.

Robert gently kissed each finger before taking Belle’s hand away from his mouth.

“I probably should.” He sighed. “This is definitely the craziest and most selfish thing I’ve done in my life.”

“But you don’t?” Belle arched an eyebrow.

“No, sweetheart, I don’t.” Gold said, gently caressing a side of Belle’s face making her beam. Her lips were immediately on his.

“Let’s get dressed, shall we?” Gold broke the kiss and made an attempt to get out of the bed, but Belle stopped him.

“What? You’re afraid to get a food poisoning? Bae is still alive.” He quipped.

“No, I’d love to try your cooking, but it’s getting late. I’ll have to go home soon and I’d rather spend the time kissing you than eating. I don’t know when we get a chance to be alone again.”

Gold tried to ignore the world waiting outside his bedroom, but now it invaded their secluded heaven making him face the reality. Belle was still a minor who had curfew. She couldn’t stay and spend the night in his arms. Not without worrying Moe sick and having a lot of explaining to do in the morning.

“Okay-okay, I’ll go grab an apple or something and you wait here.” Belle said when she saw Robert’s face suddenly getting serious and concerned.

She got out of the bed and put Robert’s shirt on. Robert watched her trying to find the right words. He sat up and lowered his legs to the floor.

“Belle.” He called when she turned to head for the door. “We need to talk and the sooner the better.” Gold saw a flash of fear in her irises. “We have to figure out how we gonna go about this.” He hurried to reassure her that it wasn’t one of those cases when _‘we need to talk’_ meant ‘ _this is not gonna work out, let’s forget anything ever happened.’_

“I’m seventeen and the legal age of consent in Maine is sixteen, so you don’t have to worry.”

“It’s not what I was talking about. I didn’t even… How do you know that?”

“I checked a while ago in case something would really happen between us. I couldn’t bear the thought of getting you into trouble and hurting Neal like that.”

It was genuinely new for Gold to have someone putting his feelings and his wellbeing first.

“What?” Belle asked, self-cautiously shifting in her feet when Gold’s expression became positively mesmerized.

“I think I love you.” He breathed with soft smile.

Belle beamed and all but jumped at him knocking them both over to the bed.

“I love you too.” Gold felt those words on his lips more than he heard them.

“Yeah, I figured.” He laughed when they broke apart.

“Now give me a second to run and grab that apple and we can discuss the plan of action. Okay?”

“Okay.”

* * *

Neal came home still light headed after Emma’s goodnight kiss. He used to gag whenever he had to read a romantic novel, but now he could relate to each and every one of them, and the words “walking on air” didn’t begin to describe how he felt.

He heard sounds coming from the kitchen and headed there to greet his father.

“Hey dad… Belle?” Neal asked stunned when girl’s figure appeared from behind the fridge door. The sight sobered him up immediately and love-induced haziness was gone. “What are you doing…” The rest of the question died on his lips when he saw what she was wearing. “That’s… that’s my dad’s shirt.” Neal pointed at the piece of clothing that spoke about what happened loud and clear.

“Yes.” Belle said quietly, bracing herself for Neal’s reaction.

“So… um, you and him…”

“Yes.” Her cheeks burned, and Belle was sure she blushed from head to toe.

“Oh.” Neal breathed with an unreadable look on his face.

“Please don’t say that you’ve been helping me because you didn’t actually believe our plan was gonna work out and you’re not really okay with this.”

“No, no. It’s not that.” Neal shook his head. “It’s… it’s just a bit unexpected and gonna take some time getting used to.”

Belle breathed out with relief.

“But I’m not calling you _‘mom’_!” He smirked.

That was Neal’s usual self and the remains of Belle’s worry disappeared. They were okay. “ _’Belle’_ will do just fine.” She smiled back at him.

“Well, I’m glad our deal worked out for you too after all.”

“Your deal?” Gold asked from the doorway making both teens jump. He heard voices coming from the kitchen and realized that Bae came back home and saw his half naked classmate moving about the house. He hurried to help Belle explain the situation, but then Robert heard what they were talking about and it turned out he was the one needing an explanation. “What deal? And what was your end of the bargain in it?” He asked looking at his son.

“Why do you think I got something out of it?”

“Because of who your father is, Bae. Now, what was the deal?” He asked again in the tone that suggested he’d better get the answer and fast.

“Neal figured that the real reason I offered to help him with his grades was that I had feelings for you,” Belle started cautiously not daring even a brief look at Gold. She felt it was her responsibility since she was the one who started it, “so he offered to help me get to know you better if I do the same for him and my friend Emma. It’s the girl you saw with me the day you came to the Principal’s office.” Belle finished ready for Robert’s wrath.

“Emma.” Gold spoke after a short yet tense silence. “What a lovely name. When do I get to meet its owner in the flesh?” He inquired with an unreadable look on his face.

“What?” Neal and Belle uttered almost at the same time.

“What?” Gold shrugged. “Is it so strange that I’d like to meet the girl my son was willing to pimp his father out for?”

“You’re …you’re not mad?” Neal asked, eyeing him with disbelief.

“Honestly? I don’t know if I should be extremely mad or extremely proud of you two. But I am impressed that’s for sure.” Gold smirked switching eyes between his son and the girl he loved, amused by the irony of the situation - the most powerful and feared man in town got played by a couple of teenagers. Unbelievable! And what’s more, he was happy it happened.

It also meant that Bae wasn’t horrified by the idea of his father dating one of his classmates, which was a tremendous relief for Gold. If only things were that easy with Moe! But somehow Robert was sure that Belle’s dad wouldn’t welcome the news. 


	7. Chapter 7

**X**

The plan Gold and Belle came up with was simple. Belle’s eighteenth birthday was two months away and they decided to wait with making their relationship public till then and spend this time getting used to the idea themselves. They kept up the ' _tutoring pretense'_ for Belle’s father and managed to find an opportunity to be alone while Neal was out with Emma or hanging with his friends.

Gold didn’t particularly like sneaking around, but he realized that they needed to tread carefully and rushing things could end up in disaster. First of all, they both needed time before they would be ready to deal with various reactions that were gonna be thrown their way. Second, Belle was seventeen and even though Moe couldn’t have Gold arrested for sleeping with her, he was still her legal guardian and there were some steps he could take to interfere with their relationship. Not mentioning that there were people in town who would gladly help him do that and ensured the worst possible outcome for Gold.

Time is supposed to fly when a person is happy. That wasn’t the case with Gold. Not after Robert met with Moe for the first time since he started seeing Belle. Moe came by the shop to drop off the rent money. It wasn’t any different from the dozens of times he’d done that before, only it seemed to Gold that the words “I’m sleeping with your daughter” were written all over his forehead. Robert never considered himself a righteous or even a good man, but at that moment he felt like the lowest kind of bastard even by his own standards.   

Yes, Gold was happy and wouldn’t take back what happened with Belle even if he could, but there was always this bittersweet after-taste each time Belle left home to her father after their date that made Gold count the days and will time to pass faster.

“I know about the surprise birthday party Bae and Emma are planning for me.” Belle said, standing in the hallway of Gold’s house after another _'tutoring session'_ when he was about to kiss her goodnight.

“So their conspiracy only lasted a week, huh?” He smirked.

“A week? Please! I figured what they were up to pretty much right away.” Belle rolled her eyes, then added seriously after a small pause, “Um, also Neal confessed under torture that you’re paying the expenses…” She dared a cautious look at him.

“Well, I was never very good at picking presents. And it couldn’t be anything your father would notice you wear, so it seemed like a perfect solution – you can tell him that your friends chipped in to organize the party and I get to make the day special for you even not being there myself.”

“Actually, I wanted you to…uh, cancel everything.”

“Why?”

“I never really liked parties in the first place, besides I want nothing more than to spend this day with you.”

“Belle your life can’t center around me.”

“But you are my life.” She breathed with a smile.

“No, I’m not and I shouldn’t be.” Robert saw that his words hurt Belle. Her face fell and she made an involuntary step away from him. “Let me explain. This time next year you and your friends will be in college and you won’t see each other, maybe even for years. You should use this opportunity to have fun together.”

Belle knew he was right, but it didn’t make her feel better about the whole thing. “Will you at least stop by?”

“At a party where only high school students will be present?” He gave Belle a meaningful look. “My being there will cause rumors or even a scandal if anybody sees us. That’s not a memory I want you to have about one of the most important milestones in life.” Robert gently caressed Belle's cheek. He saw understanding in her eyes, but it was still mixed with sadness. “Try to look at it this way – it’s your last birthday we’re gonna spend apart.” Robert planted a soft, almost chaste kiss to her lips and rested his forehead on hers. 

“What is it?” Belle felt anxious when she first heard a deep sigh and then saw the brooding look in Gold’s eyes.

“If only I was young like you. Everything would be so much easier.”

“Hmm,” Belle pursed her lips, “I don’t know if I would have fallen in love with you if we were the same age. You would be a different person then.” She smiled tenderly searching his eyes.

“Belle, don’t get this wrong, but you’re just not thinking. You’re not thinking about the future. I’m 28 years your senior.”

“And why do you have to think about what will or might happen all the time instead of just enjoying what’s happening right now?”

“Because one of us has to.”

Belle frowned, “Am I the woman you love?” She asked arching an eyebrow.

“Do you really need me to answer that question?” Gold scolded with a smirk.

“And you are the man I love.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips.” Can we please figure out the rest as we go?”

He nodded. Another little kiss and Belle was gone, leaving Gold to stare in deep thought at the door that closed after her. _‘Figuring out’_. That was one way to describe what they would surely have to go through pretty soon.

**XI**

It was the middle of Wednesday when the bell of Gold's pawnshop rang distracting him form reorganizing some trinkets.

“Belle? What are you doing here?” 

She put up the “Closed” sign in the door window and all but flew to the counter. “I wanted to see you.” Belle said, innocently fluttering her eyelashes and dragged him by the hand to the backroom.

“I’m glad you did and I’m happy to see you anytime, but why do you have to sneak in here when you’re supposed to be at school?”

“So we can spend some time alone without having to invent any excuses for anybody.” She explained with a smile and tried to kiss Robert, but he pulled away.

“Then why do you want us to keep seeing each other secretly?”

Belle didn’t say anything and averted her eyes biting her lower lip.

“It’s been two weeks since your birthday. You’re over eighteen now, and yet you dragged me into the back so people can’t see us through the window. Let’s end these games right now.”

Belle just shook her head still not making a sound or looking at him.

“Maybe the first thrill and excitement are gone and you realize that it’s not what you really want after all? Or maybe you're ashamed of this relationship, Belle? Is that it?” What Gold really meant to ask was if Belle was ashamed of the relationship with ' _the town's monster'_ old enough to be her father.

“What?” She breathed out in disbelief. “How can you say that after everything…? Do you even know me?”

It was Gold’s turn to silently glare at her.

“You still don’t think that I can really love you.” She finally answered her own questions.

“Belle, don’t you realize how it looks? I’m a middle aged man sleeping with a teenager …”

“Could you please stop!” Belle never raised her voice and it didn’t normally have the sharpness Gold heard either. It cut him short. “Stop referring to us that way.” She added in a softer tone this time. “Is it really what you think we are? Middle aged guy and a schoolgirl with the dirty little secret?” Sudden vulnerability in her eyes echoed with a sting in Gold’s heart.

“Of course not.” He sighed and came closer to take Belle in his arms. “But…”

“Then there is no _‘but’_. We’re two people who love each other and it's all that matters. Please forget about that damned age difference!” She interrupted him, wrapping her arms around Gold’s torso and hid her face on his chest.

“I just wanna do things right by you, love.” Robert murmured into her hair resting his chin on the crown of Belle’s head. He screwed up in all his previous relationships and given that those disasters weren’t entirely his fault, Gold still couldn’t bear the thought of losing Belle too. “We don’t live in a vacuum, sweetheart. The good people of this town are just waiting for one of them to make a mistake to judge and point fingers. I don’t care what they will think or say about me. It’s not gonna be a lot worse than what it already is." Gold let out a little mirthless laugh. "But I do care about what they will say about you, because of you and because of your father. What is he going to think about this and his daughter if someone tells him they saw us together? And the longer we wait the higher the probability of that happening. He’s gonna think I forced or tricked you into this relationship anyway, but gossip is not how he should find out.”

“I know you’re right. It’s just… each time I think about telling everyone I get this paralyzing fear.” She confessed finally meeting his eyes.

“You? My brave Belle? Not possible!” He quipped, hoping to chase away the remaining tension. It earned him a fond smile.

“I wanted to be with you for so long and I still can’t believe that we’re really together... ” She paused, looking for the right words. “I want to enjoy these secret dates and stolen glances because I’m afraid that once everyone finds out something would happen and …” Belle’s voice betrayed her and Gold realized that all this was even harder on her than it was on him. “I don’t want to lose you!” She almost sobbed.

“Shh!” Gold embraced her tighter and for a while they just stood holding each other. “Belle.” He called, pulling away a little and took her face in his hands to make Belle look at him. “I love you. Do you hear me? I might have been an idiot in the beginning.” He frowned. “Who am I kidding? I still am an idiot, but I know better now and I’m not gonna let you go.” He vowed searching her eyes. “Consider this a promise. And, if anything, I am the man of my word.”

Belle nodded. Her eyes sparkled with tears and so much affection that even if the world ended in that very second Gold wouldn't notice and it wouldn't stop him from pressing their lips together. Belle opened up for him immediately, inviting Gold in with a muffled moan.

From there things started to escalate quickly. Robert accidentally backed Belle into his work table and she hopped up on it right away as if that was the plan from the start. She resumed their kiss and grabbed the lapels of his jacket to pull Gold in and then down until she was almost lying on her back with Gold on top of her.

Robert felt himself hardening and pulled away. “Belle, we shouldn’t. Not here... not like this.” A quickie in the back room didn’t exactly fit the _‘doing things right by Belle’_ part, however tempting the idea was on itself. 

“Please, I need you.” The heat and desperation in her whisper went straight to his groin. How could he refuse Belle anything?

Robert’s lips were back on hers in an instant. Undoing his pants in the lust-induced haziness took a little longer than it normally would, but together they completed the task. Belle hoped off the table and turned in his arms. For a second Gold thought she might have changed her mind and couldn’t help a pang of disappointment, but Belle put both her hands on the table for support and arched into him grazing his hardness with the curve of her arse. Gold realized what she wanted or rather how she wanted it, and even if his cock weren’t very much erect by now this thought alone could've done the job. Good Lord, was she trying to kill him?

Belle going on the pill certainly made things easier, Gold mused after habitually remembering about protection and the fact that he didn’t keep a stock of condoms at the shop.

Belle’s skirt was already up to her waist from all the fumbling, and Gold only had to pull her panties down to enter her in one smooth stroke finding Belle dripping wet already. She cried out and threw her head back as her inner walls clenched around his cock.

Their lovemaking was usually softer and filled with gentle kisses and caresses. This time was different. It felt like something came over both of them and wouldn’t let go until they reached the peak of tension and pleasure.

Gold started to move rapidly increasing the pace. Like a man possessed he planted openmouthed kisses to Belle’s neck and shoulder, barely having the presence of mind to avoid leaving a love bite. One of his hands was around her waist, holding Belle tight against him while the other one touched and caressed every part of her body he could reach, eliciting the most wonderful little moans and keens. Robert would think himself too rough, pounding into her if it wasn’t for Belle’s cries  _“God, yes! Harder!”_  that had him clinging to the self-control, ready to explode any second.

Twisting need in his gut was almost unbearable when Belle, who seemed just as impatient and aching for release, sneaked a hand in between her thighs giving them both the final push. Gold let go, following her over the precipice. The spasm in his muscles made Robert tighten his grip on Belle, which was a lucky coincidence because her knees suddenly failed to support the girl.

Still panting and dizzy, they made themselves presentable again and stumbled to the cot at the opposite wall - Gold's bad leg wasn't pleased with their performance. Unsurprisingly, Robert couldn't care less. 

“That was incredible.” Belle breathed, arranging herself next to Gold.

He chuckled softly. “That’s what they call _‘make up sex’_.” Robert explained, seeing her puzzled look. Expression that graced Belle's face told him she now had a favorite way of reconciling any possible differences between them in the future.

They spent the next hour snuggled over the covers, kissing and murmuring sweet nothings. Gold was even able to chase away the thoughts about the impropriety of what just happened, as well as his usual worries about their situation. Once again, it felt like their own little paradise. It always did when Belle was with him. Although, Robert knew very well that all his doubts and fears were going to crawl back over him like cold morning fog the minute Belle would be out of the door.

Now that he knew the reason Belle wasn’t rushing with announcing their relationship, Gold couldn’t blame her for it. Robert realized that at his age he had the life experience which made things look different for him from the way they looked for Belle. Waiting might have not been the right choice, but it was what Belle obviously needed to get more comfortable and confident. And if he was striving for anything in this relationship it was to make Belle happy and give her what she wanted.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!
> 
> Today's forecast: Family drama and a surprise appearance of the character who's long gone on the show with a possibility of the major feels attack. Proceed with caution! ;)

**XII**

Belle, Neal and Emma stopped at Granny's after school. It was a rare occasion when they all were free so early. The last two periods got cancelled and they decided to have lunch together before going home. Ruby just brought their order when door opened and Gold walked inside the diner.

They were sitting pretty close to the entrance and he saw the company right away. Robert smiled and greeted them with a nod. His eyes locked on Belle for the briefest moment. Then he blinked and abruptly turned away.

"How long are you going to keep up this charade?" Emma asked, switching eyes between Gold and her friend. Belle told her everything soon after their first time with Robert. It took Emma awhile to digest, but she was used to the idea by now, although not without Neal's help again.

"He's asking me the same question. We even had a fight because of that not long ago." Belle muttered, slowly stirring sugar in her coffee.

"And what exactly are you waiting for? You're over eighteen and the graduation is almost here. If Gold is really what you want, go figure…." Emma shrugged.

"Hey!" Neal and Belle both gave Emma a warning look.

"What? Since when having different taste in men became a crime? And by the way, would you both rather I was crazy about him too?"

Needless to say that such alternative didn't appeal to either Neal or Belle and they silently decided to drop the subject.

"As I was saying," Emma continued with a self-satisfied smirk, "if you want a normal relationship with him then I think you should go for it and stop hiding. There is nothing standing in the way now. Even if your dad doesn't approve, you can move in with Gold. I'm sure he wouldn't mind to have you near and be able to get busy whenever you want." Emma laughed, remembering some of the juicier details Belle shared during one of their 'it's-just-us-girls' conversations.

"Emma!" Belle turned beetroot red. "Neal is here."

"Oh, don't mind me. I'm already scarred for life after seeing you in the kitchen wearing dad's shirt." Neal quipped. "And if seriously, I agree with Emma."

Belle looked up at Gold who was still waiting for his take out with his back turned to them. Her heart started racing. She felt like it was now or never. Belle realized she had to do it while this sudden adrenaline rush lasted, and if she were to wait another minute her fear would make her find an excuse to post pone again.

"Wish me luck." She whispered to her friends before leaving her seat.

"Hi." Belle smiled when Gold felt her hand on his shoulder and turned around. "I was just going to your shop, good thing we didn't miss each other." She murmured and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Gold and everyone else in the diner were dumbstruck, staring at Belle.

"It's a beautiful day outside, wanna take a walk it the park?" She continued as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Yes, that'd be lovely." Gold finally got over the shock.

"Here's your tuna sandwich, Mr. Gold." Mrs. Lucas said, handing Robert a bag. She was the only one who didn't turn to stone, because she just came from the kitchen and missed the whole scene.

"Thank you." Gold took his lunch and they headed for the exit. "What was that?" He asked once they were outside.

"You wanted us to come out." Belle said, feeling dizzy from the excitement.

"You could've at least warned me." He muttered.

"It was an improve."

"Aha, so that's what Bae and Emma's giggling was about."

"The main thing that it's done." Belle felt relived. "And it's better than making an announcement in the Storybrooke Mirror – the whole town will know by the evening."

"Including your father?" Gold gave Belle a dry look. "You really think it's the way he should find out?"

"Papa left town this morning. He went to Boston to buy some seeds he's been looking for. He'll be back in two days and I'll tell him then."

"I should talk to him too." Robert insisted. The townsfolk were of no importance, but the conversation with Moe needed to be handled right.

"Okay." Belle took Gold by the hand and they started slowly walking away from the diner, because everyone inside was still staring at them through the window. "Wanna know something else?"

"Hmm?"

"Tonight I can stay with you. And tomorrow as well." She gave him a sheepish smile that two seconds later was mirrored on Gold's face. Two full days together. He had no objections to this idea. Not a single one.

* * *

"Hey, sweetheart." Gold greeted with a smile after opening the front door. Belle went home to pick some stuff she was going to need in the morning. "What happened?" His heart sank when he saw the expression on her face.

"He knows. Papa knows."

"How? He was supposed to be back tomorrow."

"Something changed and he decided to come back earlier. He stopped at the shop before going home and someone told him. You were right all along. I should've known better than pulling off that trick yesterday at the diner." She started sobbing and Gold urged her to the living room.

"Please calm down, love. It's going to be okay." He wrapped his arms around her.

"No, it's not. He reacted exactly the way you predicted. He…" Belle got quiet and averted her gaze as if she didn't know how or what to say next. Gold looked at her, waiting for an answer and she forced herself to say the rest. "He… kicked me out."

"He did what?" Belle was wrong – Gold thought Moe would be furious, probably would even try to kill him. But kicking his daughter out? He didn't expect that.

"Alright, you stay here and try to calm down. I'll go and talk to him." Robert made it to leave, but Belle grabbed his hands. "No, don't! It's not gonna change anything." She begged.

Robert was about to object, but the doorbell and then knocking silenced his arguments.

"Mr. Gold, it's the Sheriff." Robert heard when he thought it could've been Moe.

"Oh, God!" Belle covered her mouth with a hand.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with it." Gold assured and went to open the door.

"Evening, Sheriff Hunter. How can I help you?"

"Good evening, Mr. Gold. I'd like to speak to Ms. French." He said, failing to hide his awkwardness.

"What is it about?"

"We received a phone call from her father... uh, and I'm afraid that's all I can say until I speak to Ms. French."

"This is my house, Sheriff. And you will not be speaking to anybody until you explain what's going on."

"I just want to make sure Ms. French is alright."

"Belle is fine. She is also eighteen and free to stay where she wants, regardless to whether Mr. French likes it or not."

"Belle's age is not the issue here, Mr. Gold," Graham gave him a meaningful look, "but I'm afraid I still need to hear the words from her… as well as that she is here willingly."

"What?" Gold breathed and was about to say things that even a man as powerful as him shouldn't say to a police official when he heard Belle's voice coming from behind.

"What did he tell you, Sheriff? That Robert was holding me captive or something?" She came to the door and stopped next to Gold.

"Hello, Belle. Um, your father's words…uh, weren't definitive and suggested a lot of things," he cleared his throat, "including a rather high level of alcohol intoxication. I decided to check just in case."

"Well, you did. I'm here of my own free will. Now if you'll excuse me, Sheriff Hunter, I don't really feel like talking." Belle said and tuned to leave.

"Yes, of course." Graham uttered apologetically right before Belle's back disappeared at the turn.

"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Gold."

"It's alright, Sheriff. You were just doing your job." Gold gave him a little nod before closing the door.

Graham was a good guy and a good cop, who just got caught in the crossfire. Robert felt he was the one who should've apologized. But his mind was already elsewhere. In the light of this new development something in Belle's story didn't feel right and he needed to find out what.

He found her in the kitchen. "Why would Moe kick you out and then call the Sheriff's station implying that I kidnapped you?"

"Because he's a bastard?"

"Belle, he might be acting irrational right now, but he's still your father and you shouldn't speak about him like that."

"I can't believe you're defending him!" She breathed in disbelief.

"I don't approve of his actions, but I can understand him. If I were him…"

"What? You would've called the police on the man your daughter loved?"

"No, but I probably wouldn't be happy that she fell in love with a man of my age and not hers as well, not mentioning my ...  _reputation_."

"And you would have called her a ' _whore'_  too?" She sobbed.

Gold was gaping at Belle, unable to say anything.

"Well, ' _a little whore'_  to be precise." Belle specified with tears running down her face. "He didn't kick me out, I left after he started calling me names and saying all these horrible things about you and why you were with me. I know what our relationship is, but he made it sound so dirty!"

Her words and the look on Belle's face were heartbreaking enough, but the way she stood there clutching her own shoulders brought on a thought that turned Gold's blood to ice.

"Did he…hurt you?" He reconsidered his previous position – Moe really was a bastard. And if he laid a finger on Belle, Gold was going to impale him upon his cane, consequences be damned!

"No, he didn't hit me." She said quietly, staring at the floor.

Gold approached slowly and wrapped his arms around her shaking body. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Belle lifted her face to meet Robert's eyes. "I know why you tried to make me see things from my father's point of view and I appreciate it. But I don't need you to be the voice of reason. Right now I just need you to be there for me."

"I am! Always!" He kissed Belle's forehead and pressed her to his chest tighter. Belle curled into him and her breathing started to calm down.

"Come, I wanna show you something." Gold untangled himself from Belle as a sudden idea came to his head.

"Where?" Belle asked weakly.

"Surprise. It's just a short drive, but I promise you will like it."

"Drive?" Belle gave him an incredulous look.

"Come." Robert nudged her gently toward the front door.

They drove in silence, both needing time to cool off and gather their thoughts. Robert glanced occasionally at Belle whose eyes seemed glued to the window. Town lights were long left behind and she was now staring unblinkingly into the darkness of Maine forests that surrounded them.

"I didn't know you had a cabin in the woods." Belle spoke when the car stopped in front of the small wooden house.

"Bae is the only one who knows about this place. He used to love coming here to fish when he was little. We still do sometimes, although not as often of course."

"Fishing? There is a lake here?" Her eyes lit up a bit and Gold knew he made the right call.

"Let's go." He smirked, gesturing for her to get out of the car.

The lake was secluded behind the trees in the back of the cabin. Belle walked closer to the water and Robert stayed a few steps behind in case she needed a couple of minutes alone. The sun was already setting, but it still provided enough light and Belle gazed around taking the picture in. Gold heard her taking a deep breath as if she was holding it this whole time.

"It feels so otherworldly here as if… we suddenly got to the Enchanted forest or something." She spoke with a little laugh. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome, love." Gold approached Belle and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I know it doesn't change the situation or solve any problems, but I hoped it would make you feel at least a bit better."

"It did." She leaned back and rested her head on Gold's shoulder.

"Belle," Robert started after a pause, forcing the words out his mouth, "are you sure you won't regret…"

"Leaving home for the man I love instead of staying with the father who doesn't care about my happiness or respects my choice?" She finished for him. "With the father who made his opinion about me and us clear by using the curse words I barely ever heard?"

"I'd like to think that he was just shocked and worried about you, because of how much he loves you and that he will regret saying all those hurtful things once his anger passes."

"If and when he does, I will do my best to forgive him until then…" She trailed off and snuggled closer to Robert.

There was nothing left to say. He kissed Belle's temple and they just stood there for awhile, enjoying the peaceful scenery they both needed after the stressful evening.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Belle turned her head to Robert to see his face. "It's over. We're free. We no loner have to hide anything from anyone." She explained, seeing his questioning look.

"Unfortunately, it happened not the way I hoped, but yes, sweetheart, we are. We're free to be together."


	9. Epilogue

Belle walked in and closed the front door. It's been few months and she still had to remind herself that it was now her house too and she could use the key instead of pressing the doorbell. She knew where Robert would be and headed straight to the study, physically needing him around after the afternoon she had. She found him sitting in the chair, reading a book.

"Hey." He smiled like he always did at the sight of her and put the book away.

"Hey." She murmured and slipped into his lap.

"How did it go?"

Belle didn't answer, just sighed and snuggled closer to him.

"That bad?" It was more of an observation than a question. She came back from lunch with her father. Yesterday, when he called Belle, was the first time they spoke civilly in weeks and Gold hoped they might've been on the way to reconciliation.

"He asked if I finally came back to my senses after having lived for some time with the son of a bitch I chose over my father and getting the chance to see what kind of a monster he really is."

"I'm sorry, love. If it wasn't for me…"

"No!" Belle interrupted him. "My father is the one who should apologize to both of us! And he's acting like a selfish… It's not your fault that dad is not a part of my life right now. It's his. You didn't do anything wrong and neither did I." She pressed, searching his eyes. Robert had to stop blaming himself for her father's ignorance. "My father doesn't get to decide who I love or how I feel. I do."

"I just want you to be happy, Belle."

"You make me happy!" She reassured. "And if it was up to my father I would be on the way to marry his buddy's son Gaston by now."

"Gaston?"

"Yeah, a big hulking guy, you might have seen him when you came to one of Bae's games. Gaston was on his team."

"If I'm not mistaking it's the guy Bae told me about. He was doing steroids and his behavior would often get out of control."

"Yep, that's him. And you know what's crazy? His father was okay with that, because he had this ambition to become a pro when he was young, but he wasn't good enough. So he wanted Gaston to make his dream come true."

"Seriously? That really is crazy."

"Let's not talk about it anymore." Belle frowned. "I'm gonna go take a shower." She planted a quick kiss to Gold's lips and made it to stand up.

"By the way, Bae called not long ago. He says  _'Hi'_."

"And how are things in sunny California?" Belle smiled. She already missed her friends, although they left not that long ago.

"He and Emma are all set and enjoying the last free days before classes start." Gold pursed his lips.

"What's with the face?" Belle laughed, knowing far well what the grumpy look was about.

"I still don't understand why Bae had to go all the way across the country. It's like they tried to get as far from here as possible. And so you know Emma's parents agree with me."

"They weren't trying to get away. They just both wanted somewhere warm and near a beach, and they found suitable schools there."

"Yeah, because proximity to the ocean is the main criteria when choosing a university." Gold rolled his eyes. "And good luck finding time for each other if Emma becomes a lawyer and Bae…I don't even understand what it is he's going to do! They'll be lucky to have time for sleep."

"I know you wanted Bae to become an MD, but computers are what he loves and what he's good at." She rationalized. "Besides, they both are very resourceful and they love each other. I'm sure they'll figure something out." Belle kissed Gold again to distract him.

It worked. He pulled her in tighter and deepened the kiss. "You know, there is no pleasing you. You're not happy Bae went far from home and you're not happy that I stayed close either." Belle scolded when they broke apart.

"Because that's another extreme. With your grades you could have done better than Storybrooke University. You could've gone to Boston or New York and still be close."

"I want to work with rare, antique books and documents. I can get the necessary education here without having to leave you. What's so wrong about that?"

"Nothing, of course. I'm just thinking about your future."

"Well, that's good, because I'm thinking about my future too, about the very near future... and you're in it. " Belle said with a mischievous glint in her eyes Gold knew very well.

"And what is it that you have in mind?" He smirked.

Belle leaned closer and whispered into his ear, "Me, you, shower… paints the picture?"

It did and Robert would lie if he said he didn't like it.

For the first time in Gold's life, things really seemed to work out, both with his son and the woman he loved. And, as much as he was afraid or reluctant to admit it sometimes, he was happy. There still were issues they needed to deal with, Belle's father for instance. But they had each other now and Gold knew they could get through anything.


End file.
